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EXPERIENCES AND OBSERVATIONS 

OF AN AMERICAN CONSULAR 

OFFICER DURING THE RECENT 

MEXICAN REVOLUTIONS 



WILL. B. DAVIS. M. D. 

As Mainly Told in a Series of Letters 
Written by the Author to His Daughter 




PUBLISHED BY THE AUTHOR, 1920 

~" Printed by Wayside Press, Los An^eUi' 



Price, $2.00 per Copy, by Mail, from the Author, at Chula Vista, California 



Copyright by Will. B. Davis. 1920 



Price, $2.00 per Copy, by mail, from the Author, at Chula Vista, California 



Aufi "9 i'320 
J)GU571951 



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PREFACE 



The Author's daughter accompanied him to Mexico and 
resided there for several years, when she married and returned 
to the States. To keep her informed of the progress of af- 
fairs in Mexico — in which she had become considerably in- 
terested — he wrote to her from time to time, giving accounts 
of events as they happened down there. On his own return 
to this country, finding that his letters had been well pre- 
served, and that they were helpful in refreshing his memory 
about particulars, he decided to make liberal use of them in 
compiling these chronicles. Therefore the reader is to under- 
stand that all unaddressed, and unsigned letters, or parts of 
letters, made use of in the preparation of these chronicles, 
were written by the Author to his daughter, Mrs. W. C. Car- 
rington, of Pueblo, Colorado. Such other letters as may ap- 
pear in these pages, whether copied from those of the Author 
to other persons, or from letters of others to the Author, will 
explain themselves. 

The publication of these letters is not intended as a con- 
tribution to history, nor as even a pretense at giving a full 
account of the revolutions to which they largely refer, but it 
is done merely to gratify a personal whim, and aflford to any 
one who may care to do so, the opportunity of living over 
with the Author, in retrospect, experiences which he and some 
other Americans had during the most turbulent times of the 
recent revolutions in Mexico. 

WILL. B. DAVIS, M. D. 
Chula Vista, California, January 15, 1920. 



CONTENTS 



Chapter Page 

1. A Few Preliminary Remarks with Some Reminiscential 

References 1 

The Guadalajara Consular District 1 

How the Author Happened to Be in Charge of the Guadala- 
jara Consulate 2 

Pre-Revolutionary Anti-American Sentiment Manifested in 
Mexico 3 

2. How Popular Free Government is Exemplified in Mexico... 8 

3. Telling How Mexican Authorities Tried to Compel Ameri- 

can Citizens to Support Armed Forces 12 

4. Other Mexican Ways of Expressing Their Anti-American 

Sentiments IS 

5. News of the Fall of Vera Cruz; How it Was Received at 

Guadalajara: Some Interesting Incidents Thereto Apper- 
taining • • 18 

Flight of Americans Out of Mexico: Guadalajara to Man- 
zanillo 22 

6. Manzanillo to San Diego: How Great Inconveniences Were 

Disposed of 25 

7. I Am Ordered Back to Guadalajara: I Make the Journey Un- 

der Difficulties Through a Devastated Country 33 

8. How I Found Things in My Consular District on My Re- 

turn: My First Undertakings with the Carranza-Dieguez 
Government During Its First Term 38 

9. Being Further Accounts of the First Carranza-Dieguez Ad- 

ministration 47 

An Account of Some Recent Cases Well Authenticated — The 

Case of Filamon Lepe 47 

The Case of Twenty-five Religious Devotees 51 

Some Interesting Documentary Facts Relating to the Case 

of Filamon Lepe 52 

Conditions Present and Prospective 55 

Correspondence with Local People Bearing on American 

Interests 56 

Conditions of Aflfairs at Guadalajara While in a State of 

Isolation 61 

10. A Brief Account of a Short Interregnum 64 

The Evacuation of Guadalajara by the Carrancistas 64 

The Behavior of Some of the Local Consular Corps When 

General Dieguez Evacuated Guadalajara 67 



Chapter Page 

11. The First Term of the Villa Administration 69 

What General Villa Has Done Since Establishing His Gov- 
ernment ■ 70 

Recent Military Movements: Their Effect on the Public... IZ 
Retaking of Guadalajara by General Dieguez, and His Re- 
entrance Into the City 76 

12. The Carrancista Reign of Terror During Dieguez' Second 

Administration 81 

More About the Recent Behavior of the Foreign Consular 

Corps 81 

A Few Well Authenticated Cases of Assassinations During 

Reign of Terror: The Case of a Young Lover 82 

The Case of Two Mexican Laborers — Assassinated 83 

The Case of a Poor Laborer: Assassinated on Hidalgo Street 84 

13. The Dieguez Reign of Terror — Continued 86 

The Prevailing Terrible State of Affairs Causes the Consular 

Corps to Intercede 86 

Author's' Discourse Before General Dieguez, Beginning Near 

Bottom of Page 87 

Author's Discourse Ended on Page 89 

Author Receives the Thanks of Other Consuls 92 

14. Some Rather Exciting Episodese Which Occurred During 

General Dieguez' Second Term at Guadalajara 93 

Unsuccssful Attempts of the Villistas to Retake Guadalajara 93 
Arrest and Threatened Execution of French Vice-Consul, 

Eugene Pinzon 95 

15. Second Term of Dieguez' Administration Comes to An End: 

An Account of One of the Author's Personal Adventures 99 
Confiscation of Firearms and Ammunition of Foreigners by 
the Carrancistas 99 

16. Given as an Appendix to the Second Term of the Dieguez 

Administration 109 

Some Miscellaneous Observations — The Case of a Young 

Armenian 109 

The Case of Three Railroad Auditors Ill 

The Case of a Family of Six Destitute Spaniards 112 

17. Second Term of Villa Administration: Its Entail of Political 

What-nots, and Its Success in the Perpetration of Its 

Share of Outrageous Murders 114 

Outrages Towards Catholic Priests and Church Institutions. 116 
The Present Political Situation Here 118 

18. Telling Principally About How the Villistas Tried to Force 

Foreigners to Contribute to the Support of Their Army: 
Subterfuges Resorted to to Accomplish Same; With an 

Account of Some of the Villa Assassinations 121 

Governor Medina's Decree Imposing an Extraordinary Tax 
on Foreigners for Military Purposes 123 



Chapter Page 

Continued Effort of Villa Government to Have Foreigners 

Pay "Extraordinary Tax" 127 

An Account of a Few of the Many Assassinations by the 
Villistas — The Case of Nine Political Suspects 129 

The Case of Joaquin Cuesta Gallardo 130 

19. Third Term of Carranza — Dieguez Administration: Former 

Reign of Terror Not Renewed 132 

Second Evacuation by the Conventionatistas, and the Third 

Occupation of Guadalajara by the Constitutionalistas. . . . 132 
Present Political Situation: Action Taken by the Consular 

Corps 134 

A State of Isolation at Guadalajara 135 

Demand by Constitutionalist Faction Repayment of Taxes 

Paid to Conventionalistas 137 

A Deplorable and Alarming Economic Situation 138 

Second Attempt of General Medina (Villista) to Retake 

Guadalajara 142 

The Sacking of Ameca by Carrancistas 143 

20. Continuation of the Carranza-Dieguez Administration: Food 

Conditions, Present and Prospective, etc 145 

The Proletariat in the Saddle 152 

21. Carranaz-Dieguez Continued Without Betterment 157 

Confiscating Everything Belonging to Church — that can be 

found: Padre Aspeita Palomar's Complaint 158 

22. Carranza-Dieguez Continued: The Reader Can Judge as to 

Improvements, etc 162 

Something of the Author's Impressions After a Casual Talk 

With Governor Berlanga 163 

Attack on an American and Britishers, Robbing Them All 

and Killing British Subject, Edward Fitzpatnck 166 

23. Continuation Carranza-Dieguez: Introducing Some Side- 

Lights 169 

Shipping Food Stuffs to the United States 169 

Joseph Mulhall's Statement 170 

Nakedness Among the Poor in Country Districts 172 

Youthfulness of Some Mexican Soldiers 172 

Interchange of Courtesies Between Villa and Carranza 

Bandits 176 

Inflaming Soldiers Against Americans 176 

Our Present Hotchpotch Situation — Politically Speaking.... 177 

24. The Recognition of Carranza, and Some Other Very Ugly 

Occurrences, Not Omitable 180 

The Military Situation, Supplementing Letters Dated Octo- 
ber 21, 28 and 30 184 

A Masqued Effort to Discriminate Against Foreign Investors 

in Mines 187 

Robbing an Eight Year Old Girl of Her Shetland Pony, by 
a Carranza Captain 188 



Chapter Page 

25. Carranzaism Continues Consistently Carranzaizing 193 

The Attempted Abduction of an American Girl by a Car- 

rancista General, as Told by Her Own Father 193 

Letters from the Author to Acting Governor Berlanga, 

Which Explain Themselves 196 

Hovv^ the Work of Pacification is Being Efifected Hereabouts 197 
Personal Experiences of an American Citizen, as Told by 

Himself 198 

Copy of a Letter from Americans, Complaining of a Want 

of Protection ^ 207 

The Kidnapping of Two Americans by Mexican Bandits, for 

Ransom 208 

Copy of a Letter from D. M. Pyle, Recently Kidnapped by 

Mexican Bandits 209 

26. Carranzaism Unadulterated: And Yet More Carranzaism — 

With a Vim 214 

Visit of General Carranza to Guadalajara 214 

Prohibition of Foreigners Obtaining Realty Property in 

Mexico 216 

Semi-Public Conference of Sefior Cabrera at Guadalajara... 217 

Echoes of General Carranza's Visit to Guadalajara 220 

News of the Pershing Expedition Reaches Guadalajara 223 

Decree of General Carranza Prohibiting Merchants From 

Closing Their Houses of Business 223 

Arrest and Imprisonment of American Citizen, W. B. 

Arrington 226 

27. While Carranzaism Continues Unabated, We Are Again 

Ordered to Quit Mexico 234 

Recent Financial Edicts Which Aggravate Distrusts Already 

Entertained 234 

A Few Side-Lights 236 

We Are Ordered to Leave Mexico a Second Time, and 

Gladly Obey 238 

Refugeeing Out of Mexico 239 

28. In Regard to Some Common Slanders About the Mexican 

People, (Given as a Semi-Appendix) 243 



CHAPTER ONE 

A FEW PRELIMINARY REMARKS WITH SOME 
REMINISCENTIAL REFERENCES 

The Guadalajara Consular District: Its Situation and 
Importance. 

The Guadalajara Consular District is composed, in ordi- 
nary times, of the State of Jalisco ; but, during- the recent 
revolutions, by force of circumstances, the Territory of Tepic, 
and the N-W portion of the State of Michoican, were also 
served by the Guadalajara post. 

The State of Jalisco, bounded on the West by the Pacific 
Ocean, is the wealthiest, and most populous, in the Republic 
of Mexico: Estimated population, 1,500,000 — a thorough cen- 
sus never was taken anywhere in Mexico. 

The City of Guadalajara, capital of the State of Jalisco, 
is second only to the City of Mexico in population, wealth 
and importance as a commercial and educational center; in- 
dustrially, it leads every other city in the Republic : Popula- 
tion, 200,000. Guadalajara is situated a little over 400 miles 
N-W of the City of Mexico, and about 175 miles West of 
Irapuato — where the Guadalajara branch of the Mexican Cen- 
tral Railroad connects with the main line — (Mexico City to 
El Paso.) It is also connected by rail with the port of Man- 
zanillo, on the Pacific coast, and by these and several branch 
roads with many other cities, towns and villages of import- 
ance. Because Guadalajara is so far removed — (to the West) 
— from any of the main routes of travel from Mexico City to 
anywhere on the Texas border, and there has, heretofore been 
so little travel via the port of Manzanillo to and from the 
States, it is not very well known to the outside world; and 
during times of revolution, not much is heard from that sec- 



2 SOME REMINISCENTIAL REMARKS 

tion; although, in the estimation of the Mexican people, it is 
always considered next in importance to the Capital of the 
Republic, either in times of peace, or of war. Indeed, there 
has long been a saying among the Mexicans, that "as Guada- 
lajara goes, so goes the Republic." 

How the Author Happened to be in Charge of the Guada- 
lajara Consulate, and why he served peoples of Other Nation- 
alties, as well as Americans. 

I had been living, and practicing my profession, (that 
of Medicine,) several years at Guadalajara when, in 1908, that 
post having been promoted from a Consular Agency to a 
Consulate, Mr. Samuel E. Magill was sent there as Consul, 
and I appointed Vice-Consul. 

The Vice-Consul did not exercise any official duties at 
all, except when the regular Consul was absent from the Dis- 
trict, when the Vice enjoyed full Consular powers. 

Consul Magill left Guadalajara on the 10th of October, 
1912, for Hot Springs, Arkansas, and died there January 28, 
1913. 

Mr. Taft was President at the time, and sent in a nomin- 
ation for the Guadalajara post to succeed Consul Magill, de- 
ceased; but the Democratic members of the Senate had al- 
ready caucused, and agreed not to confirm any further such 
nominations made by Mr. Taft, but to hold them over until 
Mr. Wilson should assume the Presidency, which was to be 
in March, following. 

Early after Mr. Wilson's inauguration, he declined to 
recognize the Huerta Government, then in power in Mexico. 

As the Vice-Consul, under these circumstances exercised 
all the functions of a Consul, and as I was the only American 
holding an exequater from a Mexican Government to act in 
such capacity, in the Guadalajara District, I decided to remain 
with the Consulate, (giving up my profession,) and to serve, 
as best I could, my Government, and the fifteen hundred or 



PRE-REVOLUTIONARY ANTI-AMERICAN SENTIMENT 3 

more Americans in that District through those trying times, 
or at least until some more satisfactory provisions could be 
made. 

Soon after assuming full charge of the Consulate, I re- 
ceived instructions from the State Department to extend pro- 
tection to all foreigners in my Consular District whose Gov- 
ernments did not have ofihcial representatives there. This will 
explain why accounts of some of my interventions in behalf 
of others than Americans, are included in these chronicles. 
Thus, without the advantages of special traming, and for 
months at a time entirely cut off from either mail or tele- 
graphic communication with the outside world, I found my- 
self in charge of the American Consulate at Guadalajara, Mex- 
ico, with its added responsibilities, during the most turbulent, 
and trying times of the late revolutions down in that country, 
first-hand accounts of which it is the purpose of these chron- 
icles to place within the reach of whomsoever may care to 
read them. 

Pre-Revolutionary Anti-American Sentiments Manifested 
in Mexico. 

Up to a year or so before the Madero revolution was 
launched, nearly all the railroads in Mexico were owned and 
operated by Americans. All positions requiring mechanical 
skill or technical knowledge were filled exclusively by Ameri- 
cans. Shortly after the Mexican Government took over the 
control of the railroads, Sefior Yves Limentour, the then Sec- 
retary of State of Mexico, inaugurated a campaign to Mex- 
icanize the railroad service. This was undoubtedly done in 
response to the ever-increasing popular cry of "Mexico for 
Mexicans." 

The Clergy of Mexico had for a long time been preaching 
to their parishioners that the investment of so much American 
capital and the influx of so many Yankees into their country 
was a masked attempt on the part of the Gringos to American- 
ize Mexico. 



4 PRE-REVOLUTIONARY ANTI-AMERICAN SENTIMENT 

Senor Limentour, with the instinct of a demagogue, de- 
cided to use the popular sentiment as a means to strengthen 
both himself and the Diaz regime with the Mexican people. 
The first step he took to attain his object was to issue a per- 
emptory order to the American employees that each Ameri- 
can should train a Mexican apprentice to fill his place. The 
Americans, rightly interpreting the writing on the wall, did 
not wait to be discharged one at a time, but quit in a body and 
returned to the States, where, assisted by their respective 
brotherhoods, they soon found positions on American lines. 
The sudden exodus of the American employees, left the Mex- 
ican management in a bad plight. There were as yet few 
Mexicans competent to fill the places left vacant by the Amer- 
icans. Derailments, collisions and locomotive explosions 
were a daily occurrence. I was informed that within six weeks 
after the Americans had quit, no less than twenty-three loco- 
motives were disabled by explosions alone. 

The Public became distrustful, and the more timid ones 
refused to risk their lives on the Mexicanized roads. After 
the rolling stock was reduced by destruction to the capacity 
of the few skilled Mexican employees, train service was kept 
up in a more or less indifferent manner. 

The popular slogan, "Mexico for Mexicans," had reached 
a high pitch long before the beginning of the Madero revolu- 
tion ; and although the anti-American demonstrations at Guad- 
alajara on the 10th and Uth of November, 1910, occurred 
soon after the first Madera outbreak, they had no relationship 
to each other whatever. 

The anti-American demonstrations at Guadalajara were 
preceded a week or so before by demonstrations of a like 
nature in Mexico City, which were inaugurated by the 
studentry of the capital as a protest on their part against the 
lynching in the State of Texas of an assassin by the name of 
Dominguez, which had been done a short time previous. 



PRE-REVOLUTIONARY ANTI-AMERICAN SENTIMENT 5 

There is a common saying- at Guadalajara, that when the 
studentry of Mexico City take snuff, the studentry of Guada- 
lajara never fail to sneeze. 

Later investigations, however, clearly established the 
fact that the lynched Dominguez was not a Mexican citizen 
at all, but a native of New Mexico, U. S. A. Said Dominguez 
had ridden up to an out-of-the-way ranch ; found a defenseless 
American woman; murdered her; was pursued by a mob; cap- 
tured; and — burned at stake. His captors would have done 
the same thing, had the culprit been a Mexican, an American, 
or a citizen of any other country under the sun ; but the fact 
of his having borne a Mexican name, was sufficient for the 
Mexicans, in their then state of feeling-, and this Texas in- 
cident only served to fan into flame the embers of hatred 
that had been smoldering- among them for some time before. 
During the anti-American demonstrations at Guadalajara, 
Mexico, on the nights of 10th and 11th of November, 1910, 
there was no effort made by either city, State, or National 
authorities to prevent, or even modify them, until after blood 
was shed, by the killing of a Mexican boy, by American citi- 
zen, Charles B. Corrothers, except that given the American 
Consulate, which was done by maintaining a body of gend- 
armes there day and night, and posting — on the occasion of 
riots — bodies of troops at the street crossings on either side, 
to prevent the mobs from reaching the Consulate. But not- 
withstanding, in sight of the Consulate, a contingent of the 
mobs, headed by the son of a National "Diputado," (Con- 
gressman), at one of the street crossings, violated an Ameri- 
can flag, by spitting on it, trampling it under foot, and finally 
burning it, accompanying these acts with anti-American ex- 
clamations of the most insulting nature. 

Indeed, everything pointed to the contrary— (referring 
to protection of Americans), — although, at the time, aside 
from the 200 city policemen, and a reserve of State gendarmes 



6 PRE-REVOLUTIONARY ANTI-AMERICAN SENTIMENT 

of about an equal number, there were stationed within the' 
city limits of Guadalajara some 2,500 Federal troops. These ^ 
demonstrations, first started by the local students, and after- 
wards joined in by all classes of Mexicans, were, if not actu- 
ally encouraged by the city. State, and National authorities, 
at least connived at— by them, the said authorities, severally, 
and, collectively. 

The mounted police following after — (accompanying) — 
the rioters, and some of the infantry police while on their 
respective beats, instead of trying to repress the mob's out- 
rages, actually pointed out to them, from time to time, resi- 
dences of American citizens, in cases where the rioters, 
through want of knowledge, were about to pass them with- 
out doing them violence. Moreover, to my personal knowl- 
edge, some of the wealthier classes, from their respective 
balconies, urged the mobs on by heartily cheering them. 

During these demonstrations, there was scarcely an 
American residence, or business house, which did not suffer 
damage, from stonings, and smashing doors and windows, and 
in a few instances, actually shooting into homes occupied by 
Americans. Aside from the case of Mr. Corrothers— referring 
to shooting into houses— was that of Mr. Michael J. Slattery, 
who under date of December, 1919, in answer to an inquiry,' 
wrote to me as follows: "It is true that on the night of Nov- 
ember 11th, 1910, our home, which was then located at 442 
Lopez Cotillo St., Guadalajara— about five blocks from the 
central plaza — had several shots fired into it, and nearly every 
pane of glass in that part of the house fronting the street was 
demolished by rocks and other missiles thrown by the mobs." 
Mr. S. is now living in Philadelphia, 830 N. 63rd St. 

On the night of the 11th, the second attack was made on 
the home of Mr. Corrothers. On the night of the 10th, the 
mobs contented themselves with throwing stones, to which 
no resistance was being made by any of the Americans 



PRE-REVOLUTIONARY ANTI-AMERICAN SENTIMENT 7 

(They were only trying to keep out of the way of flying 
missiles)— but on the night of the 11th, after the mobs had 
fired several shots at his house, Mr. C. returned the fire, in- 
stantly killing a Mexican boy fifteen years of age and wound- 
ing several of the older of the rioters. The news of this oc- 
currence flew by telephone and otherwise througTiout the city. 
Soon a large crowd of Mexicans had gathered in San Francisco 
Plaza, and were planning to storm the home of Mr. Corro- 
thers, and lynch him. 

The Municipal Jefe Politico, Col. Nicolas Esparia, hear- 
ing of these threats, took a coach and hastened to the resi- 
dence of Mr. Corrothers, and conducted him to the peniten- 
tiary; and immediately thereafter, through the city police 
under his command, dispersed all the mobs, thus putting an 
end to further outrages. This, in itself, furnished sufficient 
proof of the fact that such could have been done at any time 
the authorities might have wished. 

Mr. Corrothers was carried to the penitentiary as a pre- 
cautionary measure, and not as a prisoner. After all excite- 
ment over the occurrence had subsided, he was put at liberty, 
and did not suffer further molestation on account of having 
tried to defend his family and home. 

The authorities knew beforehand of these pending der 
onstrations, and could have forestalled them, but there w.' 
not any effort made to do so. On the contrary ; the morni ^ 
before the demonstrations were scheduled to take place. Go tr- 
emor Miguel Ahumada went to Guanajuatlan, 30 kilometers 
distant, pretending to spend a few days by way of diversion, 
thinking perhaps, by this means, to escape direct responsibil- 
ity ; but in the opinion of the writer— and many others— it was 
a deliberate act of connivance on his part — rather, of licensing 

the prearranged performances, and it was so construed, and 

acted upon, by the studentry and populace of Guadalajara. 
And these outrages against Americans, were perpetrated dur- 
ing the much lauded regime of Don Porfirio Diaz ! 



EXEMPLIFYING POPULAR FREE GOVERNMENT 



CHAPTER TWO 

HOW POPULAR FREE GOVERNMENT IS EXEMPLI- 
FIED IN THE REPUBLIC OF MEXICO 

NOTE : — The Madero revolution ; the abdication and flight 
of President Diaz; the assumption of the Presidency by Fran- 
cisco Madero; the Assassination of President Madero and 
Vice President Pino Swarez, (in February, 1913;) the imme- 
diate succession of General Huerta to the Provisional Presi- 
dency, and his so-called election to succeed himself in the fall 
of 1913; the refusal of the Washington Government to recog- 
nize the Huerta Government at any time ; the Carranza coun- 
ter revolutions; the abdication and flight of Ruerta; the suc- 
cession of General Carranza to the Presidency; already mat- 
ters of history, will not be the purpose of these chronicles to 
refer to, except incidentally. 

November 1st, 1915.~ 
Early after the so-called Presidential elections in 1913, 
when General Huerta had been declared elected to succeed 
himself as President of Mexico, the Charge d' Affairs of the 
American Embassy, Mr. Nelson O'Shaugnessy, requested me 
to render him a report as to how said elections had been con- 
ducted in my Consular District, to which the following was 
sent: 

Guadalajara, Mexico, October 29th, 1913. 
Hon. Nelson O'Shaugnessy, 

Charge d' Affairs, Mexico City, D. F. 
Sir: — In answer to your inquiry of 26th, I beg to say, that 
the elections went off quietly here. There were reported to 
have been cast, in this city of 200,000 population, about three 
hundred votes. At about 6 o'clock P. M., the Jefe Politico 
had all the voting booths visited, the boxes containing the 
votes gathered in, and — that was the last heard of the matter. 



EXEMPLIFYING POPULAR FREE GOVERNMENT 9 

I understand that the same procedure was followed through- 
out this Consular District. 

The election judges (as we call them in our country) in 
no precinct here seem to know any more about who might 
have received a majority of the few votes cast than some 
Hottentot, in his native lair, or an Australian boomeranger 
just emerging from a siesta. 

That is all, except to say that the public in general are 
thoroughly disgusted at what they call a political farce — a 
travesty on justice — a mammoth stunt of hypocrasy. 

I am Sir, your obedient servant, 

(Signed) WILL B. DAVIS, 

American Vice Consul. 

The foregoing letter gave a fair account of those elec- 
tions; and if I had written more at length, I do not think I 
could have added anything material to the subject, except to 
say (as Mr. O. S. must already have known) that no one 
but a few local officers and soldiers were seen to enter any 
of the voting booths during the whole time the polls were 
open. 

November 15th, 1913. 

Yesterday, the Legislature of this State refused to re- 
turn the names of the two men selected by the Huerta Gov- 
ernment to be chosen as Senators to the Federal Congress 
from the State of Jalisco. 

Governor Rojas at once called out the soldiery and 
threatened the whole body of Legislators with immediate im- 
prisonment, if they further refused to return the names sub- 
mitted as duly and legally elected. The Legislators then "re- 
considered" their former action, and voted unanimously in 
favor of returning the names of the two persons submitted 
as "legally" elected by the sovereign subjects of the State of 
Jalisco, to the National Senate of the United States of Mex- 



10 EXEMPLIFYING POPULAR FREE GOVERNMENT 

ico. I will add that both the present Governor, and State 
Legislature, owe their official positions to the Madero 
regime. 

Could anyone imagine anything more ridiculously arbi- 
trary? 

Think of it! The Governor and Legislature of the State 
of Jalisco, themselves chosen during, and continued over 
from the Madero Government, being compelled, by force of 
arms, to vote for and elect (?) to the National Assembly per- 
sons selected by the chief assassin of President Madero!! 

And yet they pretend to maintain a Republican form of 
Government down here — a Government by the people!! 

But this should not impress you as being so strange, for 
if I remember correctly, you were present "once upon a time" 
when one of our best friends among the Mexican high offi- 
cials while ridiculing to us the idea of such a thing as really 
holding elections anywhere in Mexico, frankly stated in sup- 
port of his assertion that neither he, nor any of his associates, 
had ever pretended to do such a thing as cast a vote in all 
their lives! He laughed at the thought of holding elections 
in Mexico!!! 

I think it was in 1904 — while you were yet here — that a 
Presidential election was being held on a Sunday. I was at- 
tending a sick child of Mr. and Mrs. John H. Kipp, a short 
distance above us on Placeres Street. A vacant house just 
opposite the Kipp home was being used as a voting booth. 
I asked Mrs. K. to have the place closely watched, to ascer- 
tain as nearly as she could, the number of votes that might 
be cast. On my last visit about 6 P. M., I asked Mrs. Kipp 
if a strict count had been kept of the number of voters. She 
said yes ; that she and her servants had kept a close watch 
all day long, and that not one person had been seen to enter 
the voting booth. And this, you will remember, was in one 
of the most populous sections of the city. Just as I was 



EXEMPLIFYING POPULAR FREE GOVERNMENT 11 

leaving- the Kipp home, I saw the "election judge" (there 
was only one, and he wore a soldier's uniform) take up his 
chair, the supposed ballot box and a tripod table and walk 
away. In all of the papers of the next day there appeared 
flaming- accounts of the elections, telling that Don Porfirio 
Diaz had been unanimously elected to succeed himself as 
President ! ! ! 



12 EFFORTS TO FORCE AMERICANS' SUPPORT 



CHAPTER THREE 

DEVOTED PRINCIPALLY TO TELLING HOW MEX- 
ICAN AUTHORITIES TRIED TO COMPEL 
AMERICAN CITIZENS TO SUP- 
PORT ARMED FORCES 

January 19th, 1914. 
I am hereinbelow transmitting- a translation, from Span- 
ish, of my correspondence with the Governor of the State of 
Michoican on the subject of "Protest Against American Citi- 
zens Paying Forced Loans to Maintain Federal Troops in 
the State of Michoican." 

Guadalajara, Mexico, January 18th, 1914. 
General Jesus Garza Gonzales, 

Governor of the State of Michoican. 
Highly Esteemed Sir: I have the honor to say to your 
Excellency, that day before yesterday, I sent a telegram ad- 
dressed to "The Governor of the State of Michoican," as fol- 
lows: "Following the instructions of my Government, I 
formally protest against the forced loan for maintaining a 
Federal Army — or any other armed force — in the State of 
Michoican by American property owners." To which tele- 
gram your answer was as follows : "By the terms of your 
message of this date, I suppose that you address this Govern- 
ment in an official character, which you claim, but as your 
official standing is unknown to me, please address yourself 
through the proper channels." To this I have to rejoin that, 
although your Excellency is correct in intimating that I am 
not officially accredited to the Government of the State of 
Michoican, the fact remains nevertheless, that no Govern- 
ment has the right to force foreigners to take part, directly, 



EFFORTS TO FORCE AMERICANS' SUPPORT 13 

or indirectly, in armed conflicts, whatever their character. 
The loan to which I referred in my telegram does not differ 
in principle from another measure proposed in your State 
some time since, requiring hacendados to maintain at their 
own expense, each hacendado, ten armed men, except in its 
modus operandi. In your proclamation promulgating the act 
of the Legislature of the State of Michoican as to the forced 
loan, your Excellency does not only state that it is to be a 
"forced loan," but also "that said loan is for the purpose of 
maintaining Federal troops in the State of Michoican," thus 
leaving no doubt as to the purpose of the loan. 

While in principle, the two propositions do not differ, 
there might be a difference in their ultimate effects in this: 
That the American property owners might not expose them- 
selves so openly to the vengeance of your enemies in the 
forced loan proposition, as they would do if caught in the act 
of maintaining, at their own expense, ten armed men against 

them. 

As for regular taxes levied, although they might be 
doubled, we might not have the right to make this protest, 
but in the case of a forced loan, making known beforehand 
that it is for the purpose of maintaining armed troops in the 
State of Michoican— yes, your Excellency, we have the right 
to protest energetically, as foreigners, at such violations of 
international obligations, and consequently, if the American 
property owners in the State of Michoican should refuse to 
comply with your decree in this matter, they will do it ad- 
visedly; and if they should be compelled to pay, by force, 
they will do it under positive protests, reserving not only the 
right to file claims for specific amounts so contributed, but 
for constructive damages also. 

In addressing myself directly to your Excellency, I fol- 
lowed the instructions of my Government, the same as I had 
heretofore done with your predecessors in the State of Mich- 



14 EFFORTS TO FORCE AMERICANS' SUPPORT 

oican, regarding other subjects, in thorough friendship and 
courtesy, and I profess to your Excellency assurances of my 
highest estimation and respect for yourself. 

I hope that it will not prove necessary to press the sub- 
ject of this correspondence further, either through channels 
already followed, or others, as from now on, the determina- 
tion of the matter will remain with the Government of the 
State of Michoican and the American property owners of that 
entity; until my Government might take it up with the Fed- 
eral Government of Mexico ; and it was for the purpose of 
avoiding these molestations that this letter is written — as 
well as that which causes me to write so fully to your Excel- 
lency — notwithstanding your telegram of protest of last 
Friday. 

I have the honor to be, Sir, your obedient servant, 
(Signed) WILL B. DAVIS, 

American Vice Consul. 

I did not hear further from Governor Gonzales on the 
subject, but the proposed tax was not enforced against the 
American property owners in the State of Michoican. 

I have been informed that this General Gonzales was a 
graduate of Chapultepec (the so-called West Point of Mex- 
ico), which would have caused one to suppose that he must 
have known he was attempting to violate the rights of for- 
eigners in his State. His telegram to me was of an evasive 
nature (a la Mexicana), but did not have the effect that I 
felt sure he expected it would. Other proofs of this Mexican 
penchant to force foreigners to support their military opera- 
tions will be given further on ; but following our chrono- 
logical plan, we will now return to the subject of the anti- 
Americanisms of the Mexicans by episodically introducing 
some interesting happenings, which will be related in the 
next chapter. 



PORTRAYING ANTI-AMERICAN SENTIMENTS 15 



CHAPTER FOUR 

BEING AN ACCOUNT OF OTHER MEXICAN WAYS 
OF EXPRESSING THEIR ANTI-AMERICAN 

SENTIMENTS 

February 13th, 1914. 

I am herewith enclosing a cartoon and comments from a 
local paper which as nearly illustrates the feeling existing 
here as could well be expressed. 

Admiral Cowls, with several officers from the U. S. S. 
Pittsburg, spent a few days here (1st to 5th) this month. 
On the 2d, 106 "bluejackets" also came, and were here two 
or three days. Some Japanese naval officers, on their return 
trip from Mexico City to Manzanillo, were here at the same 
time. The Japanese were profusely entertained — made 
guests of the city while here. The presence of Admiral 
Cowls and stafif was ignord by everybody except the Ameri- 
cans. 

The reference, in the local sheet, under the heading, "El 
Evangelio del Dia," on the behavior of the American sailors, 
is a slander. The boys had a good time — were royally enter- 
tained by the members of the American colony — went away 
rejoicing, after two days' rounds of continued feastings, etc., 
etc., without there having occurred a disturbance. They 
were a fine lot of young fellows — on their very best be- 
havior — and created a favorable impression among all classes, 
notwithstanding the deep-rooted prejudice among the natives 
here against them — expressed in the cartoon and editorial 
under the Scripturally couched heading, "El Evangelio del 
Dia." 

On another occasion (there had not been any abatement 
of anti-American sentiment on the part of the Mexican popu- 



16 PORTRAYING ANTI-AMERICAN SENTIMENTS 

lation) Japanese Minister to Mexico, Sefior Agatchi, and staff, 
passed through Guadalajara on his way to the Capitol, after 
having landed at Manzanillo. 

The Ayuntamiento (City Council) of Guadalajara pre- 
vailed upon Sefior Agatchi to delay his journey and spend a 
day at Guadalajara as the city's guest, when they, the mem- 
bers of the Ayuntamiento, surely did "put the big pot in the 
little one" in their efforts at entertainment. These and simliar 
pro-Japanese manifestations were not anything else than so 
many masqued anti-Artierican demonstrations ; for the Mex- 
icans were under the impression that very highly strained 
relations existed between the United States and Japan in those 
days. 

An amusing incident took place in the dining room of a 
hotel on the occasion of Admiral Cowl's visit as follows : 
The Japanese crowd, in charge of their Mexican entertainers, 
were being conducted to a specially arranged banquet board 
in the dining room of the Hotel Fenix, when, spying some 
of the members of Admiral Cowls' staff at tables in a differ- 
ent quarter of the hall, they suddenly broke away from their 
Mexican guides and went over to greet the American officers. 
Very warm expressions of pleasure at so unexpectedly meet- 
ing each other again, were mutually indulged in. This exhibi- 
tion of cordiality on the part of the ofificers of both nationali- 
ties was so completely foreign to (beyond the mental horizon 
of) Mexican expectations that a very visible sense of con- 
fusion supervened among them and embarrassed them so that 
the remainder of their programme of festivities was only me- 
chanically — sans enthusiasm — eked out. 

NOTE: During these times (and until its final fall) the 
Huerta Government found itself in rather a bad way, trying 
to maintain itself. 

The Carrancista forces in the North were making con- 
siderable headway, while the Zapatistas in the States of 



PORTRAYING ANTI-AMERICAN SENTIMENTS 17 

Guerrero and Michoican were becoming monotonously irri- 
tating to the Huerta Government. 

The Guadalajara district was yet (and until the follow- 
ing July) under the control of the Huerta Government, with 
General Mier in charge of the Western Division, with head- 
quarters at Guadalajara. 

The continued non-recognition by President Wilson of 
the Huerta Government; the permitting by the Washington 
Government of exportation of arms and munitions to the 
Carrancistas ; the Tampico incident, and Huerta's continued 
refusal to comply with Admiral Mayo's demands, etc., etc., 
added to the already highly pitched anti-American sentiment, 
made the life of an American citizen at Guadalajara anything 
but pleasant. Nevertheless, our personal friends among the 
Mexicans (and I think such was the case with nearly all my 
countrymen) continued to treat us with as much courtesy 
as formerly, though at times with visible effort. There were 
a few would-be bullies among the Americans, but they were 
kept curbed by the more sane — and truly brave — members of 
our colony. The conduct of the Americans throughout all 
our sequential trials was very commendable. 

All Americans were counselled not to discuss either the 
Mexican or Mexican-American situation in any manner what- 
soever, and to keep well indoors at night. This advice was 
generally heeded. 

Such was about the state of afifairs at Guadalajara up to 
the 20th of April, 1914, which was, as everybody knows, the 
day on which the Americans landed at, and began their occu- 
pation of Vera Cruz. 



18 NEWS OF THE FALL OF VERA CRUZ 



CHAPTER FIVE 

THE NEWS OF THE FALL OF VERA CRUZ— HOW 

IT WAS RECEIVED AT GUADALAJARA; SOME 

INTERESTING INCIDENTS THERETO 

APPERTAINING 

San Diego, California, May 10, 1914. 

Quiet reigned all the morning and afternoon of April 
20th, 1914, at Guadalajara, but it was an ominous sort of 
quiet. There seemed to be something in the atmosphere that 
caused everybody to feel profoundly anxious, but no one 
could tell another what it was all about. 

The oscillations of an earthquake, or threatening be- 
haviors of a nearby volcano would not have produced greater 
feelings of incertitude than seemed to possess the population 
of Guadalajara on that day. If the military authorities had 
received advices from Mexican City or elsewhere, they did 
not give anything out. But while at supper, at 7 P. M., the 
writer was hastily summoned by one of the attendants to the 
patio (an open space), from which could be seen and heard 
all that was going on in the spacious hall below, the same 
being the Palacio Cristal, the leading refreshment resort of 
the city. 

The place was filled to overflowing with excited Mex- 
icans; and mounted on a table near the center of the hall, 
stood Senor Antonio Perez Verdia, waving a paper in one 
hand and gesticulating with the other, loudly proclaiming the 
news of the landing of American forces at Vera Cruz. 

Sefior Verdia harrangued the crowd for some time, not 
forgetting, in the course of his excited— and inciting— re- 
marks to laud in glowing colors what he was pleased to term 
the well known valor and patriotism of the noble Mexican, 



NEWS OF THE FALL OF VERA CRUZ 19 

as well as to luridly anathematise the abominible bragodocio 
spirit, the treacherous diplomacy and notorious cowardice of 
the contemptible Yankee! From this, and similar nuclei, 
aided by later editions of the evening press, the news spread 
over the city; the streets were rapidly filled with excited 
throngs, and the night was made hideous (for Americans) by 
a continuous medley of execratice howls and yells of ven- 
geance, the like of which I never heard before and hope I 
may never hear again. 

Until I had gone to sleep on this and the three night fol- 
lowing, I repeatedly heard, among other less distinguishable 
exclamations, "Muere el Consul Americano" (death to the 
American Consul) — more distinctly heard by me because ut- 
tered especially for my ears. 

Through all of each of the four nights that I had to put 
up with this, I was not sure but I might be hauled out of bed 
by the mobs. But my concern was more for the Americans 
living in less protected districts of the city and elsewhere. 

The majority of Americans living at Guadalajara quickly 
took refuge in the British Consulate — some after having been 
hotly chased by Mexicans. 

I did not have a personal enemy among the entire Mexi- 
can population ; and many Mexicans, by telephone or per- 
sonal visits, tried to assure me that they would exert their 
utmost in my behalf in any event. Especially was this the 
case when, not yet having received instructions from my Gov- 
ernment, they were told that I would not abandon my post 
until such orders were received; or, that I was ordered out 
by the Mexican authorities. By 8 P. M. (20th) the Mexican 
population of Guadalajara had given themselves over to pro- 
cessions in the streets and meetings at public resorts, where 
anti-American speechmakings and expressions depreciatory 
of American, and lauditory of Mexican, valor and patriotism 
were indulged in to late hours. 



I 



20 NEWS OF THE FALL OF VERA CRUZ 

By 10 A. M. (21st) the whale Mexican population seemed 
to be out and, moved by one sentiment — that of war and ven- 
geance against the Americans — and their frenzy grew with 
such rapidity that I was fearful of mob violence. 

All of our countrymen were advised to remain indoors, 
and not to expose themselves at windows and balconies. 
Many Americans were ready to entrain for Manzanillo on 
the morning of the 22d, when we were informed there would 
be no train that day, but not until after a large number had 
gathered at the station. I 

I sent a note to General Mier as soon as I had learned 
these facts, asking for an audience with him at the earliest 
moment he could spare. He appointed 4 P. M. This did not 
suit me, as the scheduled time of trains for Manzanillo was 
8:40, and I asked the British Consul, Mr. Percy G. Holmes, to 
go at once to General Mier, ascertain first, as to what protec- 
tion he contemplated giving Americans; and, second, when 
we might expect a train for Manzanillo to depart. 

The Governor answered that all foreigners would be pro- 
tected; but as to a train for Manzanillo, under no circum- 
stances would he permit a train to leave until he was assured 
that there were no American men-of-war at that port, or near 
enough to reach there before such train might begin its re- 
turn trip — for, as he explained, such might be only furnishing 
Americans facilities for the transportation of troops to the 
interior. 

The whole of Wednesday was passed in this state of sus- 
pense, and it was not until late in the night that we received 
word that a train would leave Thursday morning (23d) for 
Manzanillo. All Americans were notified accordingly, and I 
was kept busy arranging transportation until the train de- 
parted, one item being the securing, by paying in advance for 
same, a special car for the Americans. 

The Convoy left Guadalajara at 10:40 A. M., with all the 



NEWS OF THE FALL OF VERA CRUZ 21 

Americans who could leave then (104 in number), under the 
charge _Qf Mr. Michael Slattery, of Philadelphia. 

At 1 :30 P. M., on the 22d, while I was out to lunch, the 
mobs tore down the Consulate coat of arms from above the 
door at the entrance on Lopez Cotillo Street, defiled it, and, 
I was told by several Mexicans, dragged it through the 
streets all the balance of the afternoon. At 2:20 P. M., after 
I had returned to the Consulate, the coat of arms on the second 
story balcony, fronting San Francisco Street, was stoned, 
several of the missiles reaching the interior of the Consulate. 
I at once sent a note to General Mier, relating these occur- 
rences, and saying: "As my Government has not ordered me 
to close this Consulate, and as I have not received any official 
request on the part of the Mexican Government to do so, I 
earnestly ask of your Excellency such protection of this Con- 
sulate, and of my countrymen and their property that might 
be expected any civilized Government would extend to de- 
fenseless foreigners within its territory," and marked the 
message "urgent." 

General Mier did not answer my note formally at the 
time, but through one of his aids assured my messenger that 
he would take necessary steps to comply with my request. 
I received his formal note of reply the next day, reiterating 
assurances, etc. Nevertheless that same night — meantime — 
the Consular coat of arms fronting San Francisco Street, was 
also torn down and defiled. 

Throughout Wednesday and Thursday (22d and 23d), 
both day and night, demonstrations continued to gather in 
force. Thursday afternoon and night were especially alarm- 
ing. 

After the departure of the Manzanillo train on Thursday 
morning I carried such materials as I might need in facili- 
tating the transportation for Americans, to my hotel, for I 
feared that my goings to and from the Consulate would only 



22 FLIGHT OF AMERICANS OUT OF MEXICO 

aggravate the already constantly heard exclamations, "Muere 
el Consul Americano!" By the use of the telephone and our 
messenger boy (a San Salvadorian) I was able to keep in 
touch with the Consulate and the Consular Clerk (an Ameri- 
can who had been raised at Guadalajara), and in this manner 
I worked up to Friday morning (24th), when, at 10:30 A. M., 
I was handed a telegram from Consul General Arnold Shank- 
lin, of Mexico City, dated 23d, which read: "I am directed 
by the Honorable Nelson O'Shaughnessey, Charge d'Affaires 
here, that inasmuch as he was last night handed his passport 
by the Provisional Government of Mexico, he will leave to- 
night; you are instructed to quit the territory of the United 
States of Mexico immediately; leaving your Consular office 
in the hands of the nearest Consular representative of a 
friendly nation. I leave, with my staff, on the train furnished 
Mr. O'Shaughnessey." 

Guadalajara to Manzanillo 
Having been assured that a train would leave at 10:30 
that morning for Manzanillo, — I had been at work nearly all 
night, and up to the time of receiving the above telegram — 
facilitating the exit of Americans; and had just finished ar- 
ranging with Mr. D. M. Pyle, by having him sign the voucher 
and I furnishing transportation money for fifty-one Ameri- 
cans, and telling a half dozen others who were waiting, to 
hurry to the station — that I would meet them and arrange 
matters there — when the British Vice Consul came upstairs, 
panting from hurry and excitement, and informed me that he 
had just received a peremptory order from General Mier to 
the effect that I and all other Americans must get out on 
that morning's train; as afterward he would not promise us 
any protection whatever. I at once turned the American 
Consular affairs over to Mr. Holmes; asked him to meet 
me at the station later, when I would give him written au- 
thority "To Whom It May Concern" (which was done) ; 



FLIGHT OF AMERICANS OUT OF MEXICO 23 

hurried to my mother's room to warn her that we had only 
45 minutes in which to be ready to leave for the railroad 
station ; went to my own room and slam-bang^ed into a couple 
of valises such things as I could think of at the time; or- 
dered a coach, and we were off. The trip from our hotel to 
the railroad station — about five blocks — was very trying. 
Everyone seemed to know that my mother and self were 
leaving Guadalajara. The menacing countenances and ges- 
tures toward us, and the oral insults offered to everything 
American, were indescribable for their malignity. Fortu- 
nately, my mother, then 82 years of age, as you know, though 
she did not understand the Spanish language, she understood 
the menacing countenances and gestures quite well enough 
to make her fearful they would drag me from the coach. At 
the station it was comparatively quiet on account of precau- 
tions which had been taken by order of General Mier. My 
party consisted of 102 Americans, as ascertained after the de- 
parture of our train. From the best estimates I have been 
able to make — with the assistance of those in our party — there 
were remaining, after our departure, some 75 American citi- 
zens in the Guadalajara Consular District. 

I will mention that of these 75 people there were only 
two full-blooded Americans, and that they were out at mines, 
where they remained, in comparative safety ; the remainder of 
the 75 being Mexican-American hybrids (or something), who 
could pass immune through those times — perhaps better in 
Mexico than in the States ; and then there were some hyphen- 
ates, of various nationalities, whose pretensions to American 
citizenship were never in evidence, except when seeking pro- 
tection from Mexican voracities — Americans for protection 
only. 

It was a great relief to me to receive official instructions 
to leave Mexico, in whatever pell-mell manner I had to at- 
tempt it. 



24 OUR TRIP FROM GUADALAJARA TO MANZANILLO 

The probable dangers yet ahead, in the 356 kilometers by- 
rail to Manzanillo — our then only exit — and the uncertainty 
of finding any kind of a vessel in that port on which to at 
least take refuge presented not a very pleasant prospect. 
Our people, in transit from Guadalajara to Manzanillo, were 
reviled by the gathered mobs at every station, and on one oc- 
casion we all would probably have been massacred had not 
the train crew, realizing danger, precipitately pulled the train 
out of the station and kept going under a full head of steam; 
but the watchful precautions exercised all along the route by 
the train crew did not, in this instance, prevent a number of 
the would-be assassins from piling onto the paltforms of the 
cars. Two of the more daring ones entered our car. 

The menacing demonstrations, accompanied by cries of 
"Muere los Americanos!" (death to the Americans) by sev- 
eral thousand maddened Mexican rioters, caused not a pleas- 
ant experience for us on this occasion — least to our women 
and children. Several of the ladies fainted. When the train 
began to make such speed that those of the rioters who had 
boarded the platforms realized that the convoy was leaving 
the station, they tumbled ofi as best they could; but the train 
had gotten under considerable headway before the two who 
had entered the car became aware that they had been de- 
serted by their fellows. When they took in the situation they 
did not lose any time in scrambling out, and jumped from the 
moving train. When they struck the ground they went tum- 
bling heels over head. Whether they were killed or only in- 
jured we never learned, nor inquired. 

When we reached Manzanillo, the only ship at anchor in 
the bay was the German tramp freighter, Marie, Captain 
•Julius Davidson in command. American Vice Consul Rich- 
ard Stadden, of that port, had already chartered the steamer 
Marie to convey refugee Americans to San Diego, the nearest 
home port. 



SAVAGERIES PRACTICED AT MANZANILLO 25 



CHAPTER SIX 

MANZANILLO TO SAN DIEGO— HOW GREAT IN- 
CONVENIENCES WERE DISPOSED OF 

In Transit, May 18, 1914. 

As already stated, Mr. Slattery represented the party of 
104 American refugees whom I sent out of Guadalajara on 
Thursday morning, April 23d, arriving at Manzanillo at 12 
o'clock that night. The last of this party, with the larger 
baggage, did not get aboard the German S. S. Marie until 
after 6 o'clock P. M. Friday, 24th. 

After having waited for so long a time without avail to 
have their baggage inspected by customs officials before leav- 
ing (a custom practiced at all Mexican ports) — at a little be- 
fore 4 o'clock the Americans agreed to pay the Jefe Politico 
at the port eleven hundred pesos (equal to $550 American 
money) to have the matter attended to, for they had all be- 
come convinced — and had been told by other than Mexi- 
cans — that they might be held there indefinitely unless this 
was done — unless they paid graft money to the officers of the 
port. This arrangement having been consummated, the 
women and children, the small baggage and a part of the 
men were permitted to go aboard the Marie at a little after 4 
P.M.; but sixteen of the men were held, and later carried 
by army officials to the American Consulate, where they were 
forced to witness violation of the American flag and a por- 
trait of President Wilson, which said officers sacked from the 
Manzanillo Consulate and delivered to the mob, who, in fiend- 
ish glee tore them, spat upon them, trampled them under foot 
and ended by burning them and then throwing the ashes in 
the faces of the American spectators, accompanying these 
savageries with exclamations of the most insulting kind. 



26 SAVAGERIES PRACTICED AT MANZANILLO 

Vice Consul Stadden had been ordered on Wednesday, 
22d, aboard the steamer with warnings not to come ashore 
again, and therefore he was powerless to be of any assistance 
whatever to this party of refugees after their arrival at Man- 
zanillo. 

All the above-mentioned occurrences were related to me 
by members of this party of refugees, after I had joined them 
aboard the steamer. From the experiences which our own 
party had just had with the rascally officials at Manzanillo, 
I felt sure that the statements of these Americans were not 
exaggerated. 

To escape the dangers of being indefinitely detained in 
that notoriously unhealthy port, and to liberate themselves 
from further fears of being assassinated by Mexican savages 
were, in my opinion, sufficient reasons for paying the graft 
money demanded of them by the conscienceless port officials. 
While the money thus expended may not have been for trans- 
portation, strictly speaking, it had been made a necessary ex- 
pense of embarkation by the greed of those Mexican officials. 
I considered it so under the circumstances, and therefore re- 
turned the money to Mr. Slattery and had him sign a voucher 
for same. 

My party of 102 Americans reached Manzanillo at 2 
P. M. Friday, 25th. I had a talk with the Jefe Politico soon 
after our arrival — before leaving the train, in fact — and he 
promised me that we should be facilitated in every way in 
boarding the ship, and would not be unnecessarily delayed. 
I also received an unsigned note from the Americans then 
aboard the steamer in the bay, telling me their experiences 
of the day before, assuring us that we had best pay the graft- 
ing Jefe, and several of my party insisted that we do it with- 
out too much delay, as it was an absolute necessity; but I 
felt very averse to submitting to such impositions, and feel- 
ing somewhat encouraged by what the Jefe had been so free 



GRAFT PRACTICES OF MANZANILLO OFFICIALS 27 

in trying to assure me, I delayed until about 3 :30 P. M., 
when I sent Mr. Hoeing to consummate the deal, enjoining 
him to drive the very best bargain with the thieving Jefe that 
he could. By this time I had become convinced that the 
Jefe had premeditatedly lied to me. Our women and children 
especially were fatigued, hungry and thirsty. We had not had 
anything to eat since the evening before, except some very in- 
different fruits, purchased at the stations along the way. 
This, added to the fact that we had made the trip in over- 
crowded day coaches; that we had been compelled to remain 
in them all night, at Colima, under guard, and that at Man- 
zanillo we could not buy a thing to eat; the Mexicans there 
absolutely refused to sell us a bite of food, and the only water 
we had to drink was sent to us, at my request, from the 
home of the German Consul, Mr. Kaiser, and for which noth- 
ing could be said in commendation except that it was wet, 
and had been furnished us by a gentleman who, in other 
ways within his limited power, did all he could to alleviate 
our distress. 

The most fearful prospect presented to our view con- 
sisted in that we had learned the steamer Marie was bound 
to sail that evening. 

To subject ourselves to be indefinitely detained at Man- 
zanillo (no other boat being in sight or soon due), and at 
the mercy not only of the insalubrity of that abominably 
stinking and tropically hot port, but also of the devilish mobs 
which were hourly growing more menacing, were some of 
my reasons for finally submitting to the imposition. 

Mr. Hoeing soon returned, and told me he had arranged 
with the Jefe, in 400 pesos. I gave him the money. I think 
our better bargain over the Slattery crowd of the day before 
was due to the greater calmness with which the cold-blooded 
rascality of the Manzanillo officials were met by our party. 

My reason for explaining at such length the whyforeness 



28 WE START FROM MANZANILLO FOR SAN DIEGO | 

of these expenditures consists in that the expenses incurred 
were entirely outside of my Consular District, and was more 
the affair of Vice Consul Stadden ; but he declined to furnish 
the money, saying that such matters should be presented as 
claims against the Mexican Government, in like manner as 
for any other robberies, etc., but I did not view it in that 
light, and feeling that the Department, after such explana- 
tions would reimburse me (which it did), the same as if hap- 
pening in my own District, I advanced the money in both 
cases and took my chances with the Department. 

At the time of above occurrences, the German tramp 
freighter Marie was lying in quarantine, with a cargo of 300 
Chinese c(Jolies. Not yet having complied with the full time 
required by the quarantine regulations, said coolies could not 
be landed, before the boat was to leave that evening, and there- 
fore they were kept aboard ship. The Chinese occupied the 
lower deck of the steamer — the American refugees the upper. 

The Marie left Mauz-'anillo at 7 p. m., April 25th, and it 
was not until after she had nosed well out to sea, that the 
Americans felt that they could breathe in safety. They would 
have felt happy at that time, even had they been on a coal 
barge — or anything that promised to carry them from those 
shores, and out of the reach of those menacing Mexican 
mobs. 

At that time of the year, it was quite warm in those 
Southern latitudes, and consequently, — (although but few of 
our people were provided with blankets, and none could be 
procured aboard ship) — sleeping upon the bare upper deck 
during our first two nights out, was not uncomfortable ; but 
with our progress north, the nights were cooler, and before 
we reached San Diego, they became uncomfortably cold; but 
all our people were courageous and they endured every in- 
convenience or discomfort of the voyage uncomplainingly. 
The days, however, were pleasant throughout the entire trip, 



I 



OUR VOYAGE FROM MANZANILLO TO SAN DIEGO 29 

and those who had suffered from cold during the night, could 
thaw out the morning after. The only cabins on the boat 
were ofificers' quarters, affording ordinarily sleeping room for 
sixteen persons only. The officers were very kind, and 
doubled up among themselves, to afford accommodations for 
our aged and infirm. The dining room was arranged to ac- 
commodate sixteen at table, with fixed chairs for that num- 
ber. The only service people on the boat, were the cook 
with helper, and a couple of roustabouts. The Captain had 
taken on all additional provisions that he could procure in 
the Manzanillo market — which was not much — to feed us 
until we could reach San Diego. 

On our first night at sea, the Americans laid down any- 
where upon the upper deck — each as best he could — and went 
to sleep early, for all of them were experiencing a sense of 
relaxation following a long state of tension, and an added 
great fatigue, from travel under very uncomfortable condi- 
tions. Breakfast consisting of coffee, bread and butter, was 
served in the dining room the following morning — and every 
other morning during the trip — each passenger taking his 
turn, sitting or standing — mostly standing — while holding his 
food and coffee cup in either hand. 

Early on the morning after sailing, a general meeting 
was held by our refugees, and an organization formed, by 
electing Mr. Michiel Slattery as a sort of generalissimo, with 
powers to appoint service committees, to see that each 
properly performed the duties assigned to him, and to super- 
vise the enforcement of all rules and regulations that were 
adopted for our government during the voyage. One of the 
first resolutions that was proposed, and adopted by unani- 
mous vote, was, "That any person who should be heard to 
complain of the service on 'this here boat,' should be sus- 
pended by a rope over the hatchway until he, such culprit 
should, by word of mouth — or some sign that could be well 



30 OUR VOYAGE FROM MANZANILLO TO SAN DIEGO 

understood — express, indicate, or make known, to the entire 
satisfaction of his executioners, that he sincerely repented 
of what he, the culprit, had been guilty by word or deed; 
and that as to spoken words which should not have been 
uttered, the culprit, retracted the same, took them back, 
masticated and swallowed them, and would endeavor to never 
again be guilty of such misdemeanors, or their like; and that 
in so far as any deeds of kind would, in penance for same, 
do and perform double menial service throughout the re- 
mainder of the trip," Needless to say, no one was heard to 
complain, in any manner whatever, of the service, or the 
ship's accommodations, during the voyage. | 

One of the most important committees appointed was 
that of the meal-serving gang. At all meals — excepting 
breakfast — the Americans would form in two parallel lines 
on the outer gangway of the deck, and the members of the 
meal-serving committee would pass along the human lane so 
formed, those of the advanced guard handing out on either; 
side, plates, knives or spoons — according to what food was to 
follow — sometimes soup, rice or oatmeal porridge. Next the 
bread and butter gang would pass along; and another, per- 
haps, handing out potatoes or eggs, and — (on one or two oc- 
casions during the trip) — meat, of some sort. When soup, 
rice or oatmeal porridge, or anything of a liquid or semi- 
liquid nature was being served, two of the "waiters" would 
carry the caldron between them, while a third would ladle 
out rations to whomsoever, on either side, would hold out 
his plate to receive it. Our menus were not very extensive 
at any of the meals, but such food as was served was well 
cooked, and was quite palatable. However, the eggs — which i 
were served in abundance — had come all the way from China, 
and when they were not boiled real hard, it was difficult to 
distinguish the good from the bad ones — before breaking the 
shell. About every third egg had not yet spoiled. On this 



OUR VOYAGE FROM MANZANILLO TO SAN DIEGO 31 

trip I learned that however hard one tried to boil a spoiled 
egg hard it could hardly be done. 

As stated, the Marie was a tramp freighter; therefore 
no provision had been made in her construction — though a 
splendidly built vessel — for the personal comfort of others 
than her limited number of officers; and consequently, she 
had been provided with only two toilet rooms, on the upper 
deck. This inconvenience to a passenger list of 300 souls 
was overcome by assigning the most convenient and com- 
modious of the two to the women and children, and main- 
taing toilet room committees posted at the doors of each. 

On a bulletin board, the names of the officers of our 
organization, the names of the members of the various com- 
mittees, and all the rules and regulations, were kept posted; 
and when an article had been lost or mislaid, or a meeting 
was to be held, the same was also announced on the bulletin 
board, as well as such "news" as may have leaked through 
the atmosphere. (The Marie was not provided with a wire- 
less apparatus.) 

On our third day out, there appeared on the bulletin 
board the following announcement: "A baby girl was born 
last night to Mr. and Mrs. (I cannot recall the name now), 
and christened 'J^^i^ Marie,' in honor of our courteous Cap- 
tain, Julius Davidson, and the good ship Marie. Mother, 
babe and father doing well." There was general rejoicing 
over this announcement, which seemed to gratify the officers 
of the boat as much as it did the passengers. 

A few hours before reaching the port of San Diego, a 
meeting was held, including the boat's officers, when ex- 
pressions of appreciation were indulged in for the courteous 
treatment extended by the officers to the passengers. A gold 
watch which had been purchased from the stock of a jeweler 
aboard, by general subscription, was presented to Captain 
Davidsen, by Mr. Slattery, who was also charged with hav- 



32 ARRIVAL AT SAN DIEGO 

ing the watch appropriately engraved after we should arrive 
at San Diego. 

On landing at San Diego, we were met by members of 
the Red Cross Society, who took charge of, and furnished 
the financially embarrassed members of our party — which in- 
cluded nearly all of them — with hotel and other accommo- 
dations for the time, and afterwards, transportation to their 
respective destinations in the States. But with all this kind- 
ness, it made one's heart ache to see so many destitute Amer- 
icans — men, women and children — gathered in and about the 
San Diego Red Cross headquarters — (there were many others 
besides those who came over on the Marie) — during those 
times. Many of these people had been prosperous before the 
recent revolutions had begun in Mexico; and some of them 
had accumulated competencies sufficient to have enabled them 
to live in comfort the remainder of their lives; but all, except 
a few, had lost everything, and the "few" who had not, had 
been compelled to abandon what "all" they may have had left, 
and flee the country. The greater number of those with 
whom I have been able to keep in touch since, have fared 
poorly. Some seemed incapable of readjusting themselves to 
their changed conditions, and to begin life anew again in 
real earnest ; others were already too old for any kind of 
undertakings. 

The American refugees who landed at San Diego were 
only a few of the 100,000 others who had to flee from Mexico 
during those times, many of whom fared far worse in most 
every way, than did those whom these chronicles tell some- 
what about. 



I AM ORDERED BACK TO GUADALAJARA, MEXICO 33 



CHAPTER SEVEN 

I AM ORDERED BACK TO GUADALAJARA; I MAKE 

THE JOURNEY UNDER DIFFICULTIES, 

THROUGH A DEVASTATED COUNTRY 

While away from my post, I kept as well informed as 
I could, about the progress of the Revolutions in Mexico. 

The Carrancistas, under Generals Obregon and Dieguez, 
took Guadalajara on the 10th of July, 1914, after having 
fought their way through the State of Sinaloa and the Ter- 
ritory of Tepic; about the same time General Villa was 
operating against, and afterwards took, Zacatecas. 

General Dieguez, who had been commissioned Military 
Governor of the State of Jalisco, took up his residence at 
Guadalajara, where I found him on my return. 

General Obregon, with the major part of his army, pro- 
ceeded on towards Mexico City, which he soon reached, when 
General Carranza was formally installed as Provisional Presi- 
dent, General Huerta having escaped the country just before 
this took place. 

The Huerta Regime at an end, with Carranza in control, 
and all the recent revolutionary leaders then recognizing 
him as their Chief, peace prevailed throughout the Republic; 
and continued until the to-be-expected dissensions among the 
revolutionists themselves broke out. and culminated in the 
irreconcilable split between Generals Villa and Carranza, at 
the convention of Aguascalientes, which was held in No- 
vember. 

Guadalajara, Mex., Aug. 24, 1914. 

Though general peace was prevailing at the particular 
time that I am just now going to tell of, the railroads and 
equipment of Mexico were in a woeful condition; tracks had 



34 I MAKE THE JOURNEY UNDER DIFFICULTIES 

been torn up for long distances in places — ties burned, and 
the iron rails on either side of the roads could be seen twisted 
in all manner of shapes — all bridges and culverts were de- 
stroyed, most of the rolling-stock had been reduced to junk, 
and where had formerly stood station buildings, repair shops 
and round houses, were to be seen so many heaps of ashes ! — 
which leads us to remark, that if actual depressions are not 
to be found in the regions of "constructiveness" in the Mex- 
ican cranium — where distinctive bumps really ought to be; 
and abnormally developed protuberances actually projecting 
from the zone of "destructiveness" — where they should not 
be found at all — then there must not be any truth in the so- 
called science of Phrenology. 

Temporary repairs of the railroads in Mexico had been 
under way for some time, but lacked much to permit of the 
resumption of through travel. Such was about the state of 
affairs down there, when I received instructions from the 
Secretary of State, to return to my post at Guadalajara. 

These instructions were received on the 7th of August, 
1914; and after having spent the succeeding 24 hours in try- 
ing to ascertain if there was an all-rail service from any- 
where on the Texas border to Guadalajara, without avail, I 
left Pueblo for El Paso, thinking that from there I might 
better inform myself. Arriving at El Paso on the 10th, I 
learned that the first train for as far South as Aguascalientes 
would depart next morning. 

Meeting an old acquaintance at El Paso, who told me 
he had been waiting there over three weeks, hoping to make 
the trip to Guadalajara, we determined to undertake the 
journey together; and accordingly crossed over to Juarez 
early on the morning of the 11th; and by one of us looking 
after the tickets, while the other was to pass our baggage 
through the Mexican customs house, we succeeded in getting 
started on our way that day. It was understood between us . 

II 



DIFFICULTIES IN GETTING STARTED INTO MEXICO 35 

that whichever of the two who should get through with his 
job first, he was to hasten to the train to secure seats; for 
the matter of obtaining seats was the great desideratum in 
undertaking a journey by rail through any part of Mexico 
during these times; as at best, there were only a limited 
number of patched-up day coaches, plus box and fiat cars, 
with which to make up passenger trains ; and an uncushioned 
seat in one of the rattle-trap day coaches was considerd a 
luxury ! 

It fell to my lot to look after the luggage. On reaching 
the baggage room, I found it filled with piles of equipage, 
while crowds of anxious people were standing about, waiting 
for the complacent-looking customs people to pass them up. 
I was presently told by several of the would-be travelers, that 
they had been trying for several days to have their baggage 
examined. From the leisurely manner in which the in- 
spectors were pretending to be about their business, it did 
not appear to me that matters would be likely to progress as 
they should, if left to themselves. Thinking that a few pieces 
of coin might elicit results more effectually than the vocifer- 
ations that were being indulged in, I approached one of the 
inspectors, and convinced him of the merits of our case. He 
marked each piece of our baggage as "passed," without taking 
the trouble of having any of it opened to view — whereby I 
was enabled to reach the train early enough to make a selec- 
tion of seats. I was joined by my companion about two 
hours later, he having had to stand in line nearly three hours 
before securing tickets. By the time the train was ready to 
start — nearly two hours behind the schedule — our car was 
packed to full "standing room" capacity, even in the aisle 
and upon the platforms. With this, hundreds of people were 
left at the station, either on account of not having been able 
to procure tickets, or to have had their baggage inspected 
in time. 



36 I TRAVEL THROUGH A DEVASTATED COUNTRY 

With ourselves and luggage crowded on one seat, we 
traveled sixty hours consecutively, not daring to leave our 
places except one at a time, for if we had both ventured out 
together, on returning, we would have found that our seats 
had been appropriated by others, and our baggage also, with 
no hope of ever recovering either. One of us would sally 
out at nearly every station to rustle something to eat, but 
in the majority of cases without encountering food of any 
kind. We could only buy, as by chance, a few tortillas here, 
some frijoles elsewhere, a piece of cheese occasionally, and 
a cup of coffee at long intervals. By the time we reached 
Aguascalientes, we were very hungry. While able to secure 
good beds to sleep upon at Aguascalientes, we found food 
nearly as scarce as it was on the road from Juarez. 

What the people had suffered throughout the devastated 
country which we had just traversed, could not all be told 
by one making the journey by rail, but enough could be seen 
from the train while in motion, and learned by going among 
the people at the stations, to give rise to sad reflections on 
the pity of it all; brought about by the so-called Mexican 
patriot, enlisted under the banner of first one, and then an- 
other, self-styled champion of liberty; all of them robbing, 
right and left, and when unable to carry off, destroying every- 
thing on which the people depended for sustenance; each 
contending faction claiming themselves to be the only true 
paladins of the people's rights — that they were doing all these 
things in the holy name — and because they found them- 
selves so thoroughly saturated with the spirit — of Mexican 
patriotism ! 

At Aguascalientes, we found that we could not travel 
further South by rail. Neither could we procure transporta- 
tion of any other kind ourselves, for all riding and work 
animals, as well as vehicles of every sort which had not been 
confiscated by the Huertistas before, had been taken over by 



SOME REFLECTIONS ON WHAT I SAW 37 

the Carrancistas after; therefore, I made bold to call on the 
Jefe Politico at Aguascalientes, and ask him to further us 
on our way. This he did, by furnishing us with a coach, 
team and driver, as far as Lagos, giving us a letter to the 
Jefe of the latter place who, in turn, facilitated us on to Leon, 
whence we traveled by rail, reaching Guadalajara on the 
evening of August 20 — exactly 12 days from Pueblo — a trip 
which I had more than once made in three days time, before 
the revolutions, and with Pullman accommodations all the 
way. 

NOTE : In giving the foregoing account of my return 
trip to Guadalajara, I omitted many things that might have 
interested the reader, nor detailed any more delays than I 
felt were necessary to give one a general idea of the actual 
conditions of the CQuntry through which we passed — deplor- 
able, at that time ; yet I would add that this was nearly six 
years ago, and the scourgings have not ceased, although at 
times, partially abating — abating whiles there might have 
been nothing for a voracious banditry to feed upon. To think 
that this has been going on for nearly ten years, at our very 
back-doors ; and that our doors have proven to not have been 
as strong as they really ought to be, for they have been broken 
through several times already, and in several places, and our 
people, in their own homes, and on their own soil, have been 
forced to take a few doses of Mexican banditry. Perhaps in 
another ten years, we may become accustomed to it — learn to 
take it as a matter of course — to treat such incursions as only 
so many Mexican demonstrations of international amity! 



38 HOW I FOUND THINGS AT GUADALAJARA 



CHAPTER EIGHT 

HOW I FOUND THINGS IN MY CONSULAR DISTRICT 
ON MY RETURN; MY FIRST UNDERTAKINGS 
WITH THE CARRANZA-DIEGUEZ GOV- 
ERNMENT DURING FIRST TERM 

Guadalajara, Mexico, Sept. 20, 1914. 

After notifying the Department of State of my return, 
I reopened the American Consulate, when the offices were 
soon filled by people clamoring for protection, mainly against 
the Carranza Government in the matter of forced loans. 

During my absence, the Consular affairs had been trans- 
ferred from the British Vice Consul (with whom I had left 
them) to the French Vice Consul, Eugene Pinzon. Although 
Sefior Pinzon had been very attentive in trying to serve 
American interests, and had kept complete records of his 
acts, he had failed — as seemed to have been the case also 
with other Consular representatives there — to secure satisfac- 
tory results in treating with the Carranza Government, rep- 
resented by Military Governor, General Manuel M. Dieguez, 
who had advented on the scene, as already related. 

Nearly all the members of the local Consular Corps called 
on me early, and each offered to present me to General 
Dieguez, but I had gathered that not any of them seemed 
to be in favor with the local Government. I made no haste 
in being presented to General Dieguez, preferring to wait 
until I could inform myself of the changed conditions that 
had obtained during my absence; and when I did make my 
first call, I went alone. 

I was gratified to find that the former anti-American 
feeling on the part of the Mexican public had so favorably 
changed — amounting to a complete revolution of sentiment — 



HOW I FOUND THINGS AT GUADALAJARA 39 

more notably with the Church element, and all those who had 
anything to lose. 

The difference in the deportment of the Mexican people 
towards the Americans, on the latter's return to Mexico, as 
compared to that displayed at their departure, was phenom- 
enal; and yet the American army had not evacuated Vera 
Cruz, nor were they making preparations to do so ; of which 
fact the Mexicans themselves were well aware. 

All the Mexican civilians — (all Mexicans, except about 
the five per cent, who were enlisted under the banner of, and 
deriving their support from, the Carranza Government) — 
were praying that the Americans come on, and save them, the 
Mexicans, from their own people ! 

All the way from El Paso to Guadalajara, I found that 
the country had been flooded with revolutionist money — 
"bliembiques," as the Mexicans called it — and that the ex- 
change rate of the Mexican peso had declined from its old 
value of two Mexican pesos for one American dollar. At El 
Paso, I bought at the rate of five to one — its value con- 
tinued to decline — but until it had reached about fifteen to 
one, the market people and laboring classes in Guadalajara 
did not begin to find out that there was anything the matter 
with the circulating medium of the country. The old National 
Bank notes, and metallic specie of every description, had dis- 
appeared from circulation ; nothing was in evidence except 
revolutionist money; and there were as many different kinds 
of this, as there had been revolutionist armies in the field; 
each working their presses to full capacity. 

NOTE : This kept up until I felt Mexico the second time 
(June, 1916) when, in paying for a train to carry the Amer- 
icans from Guadalajara to Manzanillo, I bought $17,900.00 
pesos for $89.50 American money — exactly at the rate of two 
hundred for one! 

The first few months after my return, I noticed great 



40 



HOW I FOUND THINGS AT GUADALAJARA ^ 



varieties of jewelry, and many other kinds of costly articles 
being hawked about the streets, and in hotel lobbies, gen- 
erally by some go-between, who would claim that the par- 
ticular offering was the property of "la Senora Fulano de tal" 
— (Mrs. John Doe) — who, on account of the stress of affairs, 
was compelled to offer it for sale to secure "con que" (the 
wherewith) to buy food for herself and children! Where all 
these things came from, and how so many of them had found 
their way to the hands of common street vendors was, — like 
many other things observed about those times, — beyond the 
writer's ken. Fine opportunities were offered for purchasing 
these articles at a song, to any one who may have had a safe 
place for hoarding them ; but the "safe place" was the crux. 
The feeling of a want of security is what causes mar- 
kets to sag, generally : and the infamously low price of an 
ordinarily valuable something, is a fair indication of the 
depths to which the general feeling of a want of security may 
have sunken ! 

The changes in appearances on the streets during busi- 
ness hours were not so noticeable; the American bank, which 
had closed on the 20th of April (the day of the Vera Cruz 
incident) never did reopen ; and business at other banking 
institutions seemed negligible; but at the amusement and 
refreshments resorts — especially in the evenings — could be 
noted complete transformations in the appearances of the 
personnel gathered in and about them, as compared to former 
times. 

All the churches — (when speaking of the Church in 
Mexico, the Catholic denomination is always meant) — includ- 
ing the Cathedral, had remained closed since the advent of 
the Carrancistas, and it was claimed many persecutions of 
the clergy had been practiced; all ecclesiastical properties 
had been confiscated ; all secular schools had been permanent- 
ly closed; and all foreign-born priests, and all classes of sis- 



HOW I FOUND THINGS AT GUADALAJARA 41 

ters and nuns had been deported. The faces of many of the 
more wealthy and prominent citizens, formerly so frequently 
seen, were now only conspicuous by their absence ; and I 
was pleased to note as among the latter, the sleek-like em- 
bonpoint of Antonio Perez Verdia, whom I had heard so 
bitterly inveighing against everything American in a harangue 
to the mobs, on the evening of April 20th, already alluded to. 

The itinerary of the flight of those "absent ones" had 
been first, to Mexico City, then to Vera Cruz (where the 
Americans were yet in possession), thence to the States, to 
where those of their description flocked by the hundreds and 
thousands, from every part of the Rebpublic of Mexico. 

Regarding this particular Sefior Vardia, who, after all, 
differed from thousands of others of his ilk only in having 
given public utterances to his innermost anti-American senti- 
ments, I will relate the following episode: Having used his 
full powers in trying to incite the mobs against the Americans, 
after the Vera Cruz incident, and having refugeed to Mexico 
City just before the Carrancistas reached Guadalajara 
(Huerta was yet in control of the Capital) he soon became 
very much alarmed for his personal safety, for with the rapid 
approach of the Carrancistas from the north, and — as Senor 
Vardia construed it — his other enemies, the Yankees, at Vera 
Cruz, he felt that he was in a trap, so to speak, and without 
hope of escape. About this time, several Americans reached 
Mexico City, via Vera Cruz, in attempts to return to Guada- 
lajara, and meeting Senor Verdia, he began lamenting his 
plight unto them. The Americans advised him to go to Vera 
Cruz — while there was yet time — whereupon Sefior Verdia 
exclaimed : "What ; righ^. into the Yankee camps, after talking 
against the gringoes as I have? — not if I know myself!" But 
the Americans succeeded in persuading Senor Verdia that he 
would be safe from all harm — once within American lines; 
when said Sefior Verdia did not allow the loss of any time in 



42 I MAKE MY FIRST CALL ON GOVERNOR DIEGUEZ 

flying right into the arms of those whom he was wont to 
most villainously assail. Said Senor Verdia, and many others 
of his stripe, enjoyed every protection at the hands of the 
Americans ; which proved quite a revelation to them ; and the 
treatment they received from the Yankees, contrasted very 
strikingly with the kind which they and their like had meted 
out to the defenseless Americans as hereinbefore related. 

From what I had been able to gather, it appeared to me 
that the people connected with the Government at Guadalajara 
were suspicious of everybody — that they considered all others 
except themselves, in the light of enemies — and this applied 
with equal force to the friends and supporters of former 
Governments, the Church, and the well-to-do, the latter being 
omnibusly classed "the aristocracy." 

Not to delay too long, I made my first call on General 
Dieguez. He received me politely, but with lurking senti- 
ments of suspicion, which materialized later, when, in the 
course of conversation, he remarked that he had understood 
that I had been in good favor with his predecessors in office, 
and well esteemed by the aristocracy of the community. 
(Gov. D. considered these his enemies.) 

Realizing the intended pointedness of this remark, I 
answered in eflfect, that I was glad to believe that he had 
been correctly informed — that in my twelve years residence 
there — all Mexicans, from the peons in the street, to the 
wealthier classes, had treated me courteously (barring the 
Vera Cruz incident), and that I had wished to show them 
my appreciation ; and as to having been in good repute with 
former Administrations, it must have been because I had 
sedulously avoided "metiendome en camisa de once varas" 
(meaning, in this use of the phrase, that I had kept myself 
clear of mixing in Mexican affairs), which I was sure his 
Excellency would find to characterize my conduct during his 
Administration. This seemed to soften General Diguez' at- 



SOME COMMENTS ON GENERAL DIEGUEZ 43 

titude, and he remarked that he did not think that he and I 
would have any trouble I answered no — that we might 
differ in opinion at times but, that when he and I should not 
agree as to a given matter, each could refer such to their 
respective superiors, etc. — and that any differences of opinion 
ought in no wise to molest our frank treatment of each other. 

I relate thus fully my first interview with General 
Dieguez, because under the then conditions, it meant more 
than one might ordinarily think. 

I felt it was the opportune time to impress General 
Dieguez that I viewed my representation more in the light of 
friendship than for the purpose of trying to antagonize Mex- 
ican officials. This is an important impression to create in 
dealing with Latin-American officials. 

Any one who may give these people cause for distrust, 
can never be reinstated into their confidences; nor expect any- 
thing of them except necessary official courtesies, either for 
themselves, or the people they may represent; while upon 
the other hand, if they believe in one's profession of friend- 
ship, they will "lay awake nights," so to speak, trying to 
think of ways to show their appreciation. This is almost a 
characteristic with them. 

While General Dieguez could not be called an educated 
person, he is far from belonging to the illiterate class; he is 
blessed with common sense knowledge ; he is a man of his 
word ; he is a good scrapper, and will fight an adversary in 
the open ; in short, the stuff of which he is made, excels that 
of Carranza, Villa, or any other Mexican revolutionary chief 
that I know, and I have met nearly all of them. 

NOTE : I realize that this opinion of General Dieguez 
will not be concurred in by many ; and can understand why 
the reader may not be able to reconcile such with my criti- 
cism of some of his acts given in my reports farther on. 
But in the foregoing, I speak of the man as I think I know 



44 FIVE CHANGES OF GOVERNMENT IN ONE YEAR 

him, while in my reports of his acts, I chronicle savageries 
which would appear to be almost unpardonable. 

For five years previous to the Madero revolution, Gen- 
eral Dieguez had been confined in the fortress of Juan Uloa, 
a political prison near Vera Cruz where the most revolting 
treatments were visited upon those incarcerated there, ad- 
ministered by the minions of the too-much lauded Don Por- 
firio Diaz. He emerged from this prison, nursing deep senti- 
ments of revenge, and as Diaz and his followers had escaped 
the country while General Dieguez was yet as a caged beast — 
as soon as he got into power and could not reach his real 
persecutors — he wreaked his vengeance on innocent people. 

NOTE : Before perusing further the order of these 
chronicles, I will explain that during the remainder of my 
stay at Guadalajara, there were five changes of Government, 
and here give the order of their successions : 

I. Carranza's First Administration, by Gen. Dieguez, 
from the time of the taking of Guadalajara from the 
Huertistas, July 10, to the coming of the Villistas, December 
14th, 1914. 

II. Villa's First Administration, from December 14th, 

1914, to the return of the Carrancistas, January 18th, 1915. 

III. Carranza's Second Administration, after running the 
Villistas out on January 18th, to February 13th, 1915, when 
they "vamoosed" again, at Villa's approach — his "second 
coming." 

IV. Villa's Second Administration, from February 13th 
to April 18th, 1915, the Villistas evacuating at approach of 
Carrancista forces. 

V. Carranza's Third Administration, from April 18th, 

1915, to the present time 

We will now go back to the American Consulate, and see 
how things have progressed. Before my return, among other 



ATTEMPTED FORCED LOANS AGAINST AMERICANS 45 

acts of a very arbitrary nature, General Dieguez had levied 
what the natives call a "prestimo forzoso" (a forced loan). 

To satisfy this decree, many Americans, in common with 
everybody else, had been heavily assessed, and threatened 
with severe penalties, in event of non-payments. Tliis was 
the cause of so many flocking to the Consulate as soon as 
it had been reopened. The failure of the different Consuls 
to get relief from the operation of this edict, for their re- 
spective nationals, was one of many other reasons for their 
saying to me on my return, that the authorities were acting 
in a very arbitrary manner toward foreigners. These so- 
called forced loans were no less than so many pseudo-legalized 
robberies ; those who had to pay them never expected to re- 
ceive one cent in return. As to how these forced loan mat- 
ters were met by the American Consulate, the following 
correspondence will explain and will also serve to illustrate 
the disposition of other cases of a similar nature so handled : 

Guadalajara, Mex., Aug. 22nd, 1914. 
"To His Excellency, General Manuel M. Dieguez, 

Governor of the State of Jalisco, City. 

"Esteemed Sir: — I have learned that your Excellency has 
addressed a communication to Mrs. Dolores Robling New- 
ton, imposing on her a special extraordinary tax of thirty 
thousand pesos, with fines referred to in the same com- 
munication. 

"I am convinced that your Excellency did not know, on 
issuing this communication, that the Widow Newton is an 
American citizen, and when this fact is made known to you, 
you will issue orders that this tax be not collected. 

"The Widow Newton is an American citizen through 
having married an American citizen, formerly American Con- 
sular Agent in this city; and furthermore, in proof that she 
has maintained her American citizenship, the lady came to 



46 OUR FIGHT AGAINST FORCED LOANS ] 

this Consulate and registered. Her citizenship has been recog- 
nized by Washington. 

"I ask that your Excellency issues orders for the no-col- 
lection of the tax referred to, and that you advise me accord- 
ingly, that I may communicate it to my Government. 

"I reiterate to your Excellency assurances of my highest 
consideration. 

"(Signed) WILL B. DAVIS, 

"Americal Vice Consul." 

Guadalajara, Mex., Aug. 28th, 1914. 
"To Will B. Davis, 

Consul of the U. S., Present: — 

"Replying to your attentive note of the 22nd, I have to 
say, that notwithstanding the certificate of citizenship of Mrs. 
Dolores Robling Newton contradicts itself in several in- 
stances, I have seen fit to suspend the extraordinary war 
tax in her case — with others of like nature — pending the reso- 
lution of the Supreme Government of the Nation. 1 
"I extend you assurances of my consideration. 
"(Signed) MANUEL M. DIEGUEZ, 

"Governor of the State of Jalisco." 

On receipt of the above letter from General Dieguez, I 
felt sure that the controversy was practically ended, and later, 
had full confirmation of same, which I communicated to ah' 
interested parties. 

It is hard to shoo these fellows away from grabbing other 
people's money when they start after it — especially when in 
crouch to jump upon their prey — as I found to be their atti- 
tude on my return to the Consulate. 

The exemption of those under the protection of the 
American Consulate from the operation of this forced loan 
edict, deprived the local Government of several hundred 
thousand pesos. 



ACCOUNT OF FIRST CARRANZA ADMINISTRATION 47 



CHAPTER NINE 

BEING FURTHER ACCOUNTS OF THE FIRST CAR- 
RANZA-DIEGUEZ ADMINISTRATION 

October 31st, 1914. 
Conditions Now Prevailing in the Vicinity of Guadalajara 

Since the advent of the Constitutionalista army here, all 
courts of justice have been closed — absolute militarism sub- 
stituting. 

The best informed Mexicans tell me that conditions are 
better in the State of Jalisco, than elsewhere in the Re- 
public. 

As a sample of the terrorism prevailing here, the case 
of three young Mexicans will exemplify, as follows: At a 
bicycle repair place, the young men in question, in a semi- 
jocular manner, were talking of making resistance to the 
present Government, and made a list of others whom they 
imagined would help. A secret service man reported them. 
All three were arrested, and summarily executed. Those 
whose names the young men had imprudently listed, had 
to flee for their lives. This occurred about ten days ago. 

As to the civilian public, the feeling of disgust, and dis- 
trust, of present officialdom, is universal. Everybody ex- 
press themselves as having no hope that the Mexicans will 
settle matters among themselves, in manner that an early 
return to conditions of peace may obtain. 

The feeling towards Americans here is at present 
friendly; and as to the sentiments among Mexicans toward 
the Washington Government, it has grown apace in favor 
of Washington until all laud its past treatment of the Mex- 
ican Question now; and the middle and upper classes, who 
were most bitter in expressions of displeasure at what they 



48 ONE OF CARRANZA'S WAYS OF RAISING MONEY 

termed American interference in Mexican affairs formerly, 
now proclaim as their belief that the only hope of saving 
this country from a state of anarchy is in outright and thor- 
ough intervention by the United States. 

There have been some recent uprisings by the Church 
element against the present Government in some of the out- 
lying sections of this Consular District, but not yet of serious 
import, except in an indicative sense. A few churches in this 
city have been permitted to reopen, within the past two weeks, 
but only those frequented by the proletariat. 

Petty robberies continue to be numerous, notwithstanding 
that in several instances the perpetrators were caught and 
shot; three having been executed yesterday, for having at- 
tempted to rob the brokerage ofifice of American citizens, 
A. R. Downs & Co., at about 1 :15 p. m. on the 26th. In the 
fray, E. R. Downs received a knife wound in left groin ; so 
slight, however, as not to detain him from business. The 
would-be robbers escaped at the time, but were subsequently 
captured and executed. 

One of the many other ways of extracting money from 
private parties resorted to by military officials, consists in 
the arrest of the individual, and after trumping up some charge 
against him — in one case this, in another that — and then giv- 
iing the prisoner the alternative of paying over so many 
thousand pesos, or being stood up and shot, at once. Paying 
over the money is always preferable. The same individuals 
have been known to have been so victimized, over and over 
again, by the same faction ; and afterwards by other factions. 
No Mexican, from whom it might be thought money could 
be squeezed, escaped, and from the best I can judge, one 
faction is just as bad as the other, in the perpetration of 
these abominable practices. 

November 5th, 1914. 
An Account of Some Recent Cases, Well Authenticated, in 



I 



UNSCRUPULOUSNESS OF SOME OFFICIALS 49 

Further Exemplification of Actual Conditions Hereabouts 

I. The case of Filemon Lepe, a Veterinary Surgeon, and 
general horse trader, of Guadalajara : 

After Carranza's armies reached here, Filemon Lepe was 
employed by General Blanco, as Veterinary of his army. 
General Blanco carried Lepe with him when he went on to 
Mexico City, reaching there the last of August. Lepe re- 
turned to Guadalajara 'two weeks ago, bringing with him one 
handsome automobile and five carriages of different makes. 
After disporting himself about the city in the attractive auto- 
mobile for a week. General Acosta, military commander of 
the first and fifth divisions of Mexico City, arrived at Guada- 
lajara, and a few days thereafter, had Filemon Lepe arrested, 
and the automobile and coaches which Lepe had brought with 
him were shipped back to Mexico City. This occurred on 
Sunday, the 1st of November, and on the evening of that 
day, I was told that said Lepe had been condemned to be 
shot, by Military Governor, General Manuel M. Dieguez. 
As I had been Lepe's family physician, as well as physician 
to the family of his brother-in-law, Martin Calderon, I was 
kept well posted of the proceedings in this case. (These are 
the same Calderons whom we knew so well when you lived 
here.) The Calderon and Lepe families, and a number of 
their many friends exerted every influence they could bring 
to bear in an endeavor to save Lepe's life; and to escape the 
strenuous importunities of these, it was determined on Mon- 
day, the 2nd, that Lepe be sent Mexico City-ward, with Gen- 
eral Acosta, whose special cars were to be attached to the 
regular train for Mexico City, afternoon of the 3rd. 

This information was given to Mrs. Calderon, at 5 p. m., 
the 2nd, thus : While I was sitting by the side of Mrs. Cal- 
deron, in the rotunda of the Hotel Fenix, General Acosta 
came in, and seating himself immediately opposite Mrs. C. 
and myself, he told her that he had just come from an inter- 



50 THE CASE OF FILEMON LEPE 

view with Governor Dieguez, and that her brother was not 
to be shot, but gent with him to Mexico City the next day. 
Seeing Mrs. Calderon's great agitation on receiving this in- 
formation, and hearing her expressions of apprehension that 
"la ley fuga" (shooting a prisoner while pretending to carry 
him to some other place, and afterwards reporting he had tried 
to escape — a common Mexican practice) would be applied 
to her brother while en route, General Acosta tried to calm 
her by assuring her that no harm could come to her brother 
while under his, General A.'s care. But Mrs. C. was incon- 
solable, and said she would go at once to see the daughters 
of the old Federal Division Commander, General Clemente 
Villasenor, who would accompany her on the same train on 
which her brother was to be taken, and that they would 
jointly appeal to General Blanco, chief in command of the 
Constitutionalista (Carranza) forces in Mexico City. This 
displeased General Acosta, and he accused Mrs. C. of doubt- 
ing his honor. Mrs. C. answered that the life of her brother 
was at stake, and to save him, and his family's honor, was the 
only thing she had in view, and that she thought it unfair, 
under such circumstances, for General Acosta to assume that 
she could consider the question of other people's honor. The 
conversation soon ended, and every one went his way. I 
wish to say, by way of parenthesis, that I did not take any 
part in the conversation, and was as if not present, except 
that Mrs. Calderon once referred to me incidentally, as hav- 
ing been their and Lepe's family physician, and said that I 
knew Mr. L. to be an honest man. This latter I neither 
denied, or confirmed. 

Finale : — General Acosta did not take Filemon Lepe with 
him towards Mexico City, but had no sooner departed from 
Guadalajara, than said Lepe was put at liberty, on the promise 
of delivering to Governor Dieguez, for the latter's private use, 
five head of the best horses then in the possession of said 



I 



OTHER OUTRAGEOUS PROCEEDINGS 51 

Lepe. This I had heard from various sources, and meeting 
Filemon Lepe yesterday, the 4th, he confirmed the same to 
me! 

II. Case of a Mexican Girl, Name Unknown: — The Clerk 
of this Consulate, Mr. Charles B. Corrothers, lives in a suburb 
of this city, in Mrhich there are as yet few houses. One day 
recently, at 10 a. m., the servants of the house told Mrs. Cor- 
rothers that a Carranza officer was forcibly carrying off a 
young Mexican girl. Mrs. C. thought that if she went out 
on the street where this was happening, that possibly the 
officer would desist; so, with all the servants of the premises, 
she went out and watched what was happening. The girl 
was crying, and begging the officer, saying that if he had any 
reasons to arrest her, that he take her through the streets, 
and not as he was forcing her, to go into fields. When the 
officer noticed that he was being observed by Mrs. Corrothers 
and her servants, he rode over to where they were, and asked 
them if they had never seen people before. Mrs. C. answered, 
yes, that they had seen many people, and were especially 
observing then, what he was doing with that poor girl. The 
officer immediately rode back toward the girl, who had taken 
advantage of the interruption to try to make her escape. The 
last seen of the girl, the officer was forcing her to accompany 
him, through by-ways. 

III. The Case of Twenty-five Men: — A short time since, 
a number of people, men, women and children, attended re- 
ligious services in the chapel of a private residence of the city. 
(All churches were closed at this particlar time.) As the 
worshippers were emerging from the building, Carranza sol- 
diers arrested all of the men (twenty-five in number), on 
charges of conspiracy against the Government. Each "sus- 
pect" had to pay one thousand pesos to obtain his liberty — for 
having attempted to worship God, according to the dictates 
of his conscience. In other words, to try to hold religious 



52 FURTHER ACCOUNTS OF LEPE CASE 

services in any manner under the then Government, was con- 
sidered as an act of conspiracy. At any rate, such has been 
used in more than one instance, as an excuse to extract money 
from the civilian public. 

November 5th, 1914. 
Some Interesting Documentary Facts Relating to the Case of 

Filemon Lepe 

Since closing above letter there was brought to this 
Consulate, by one near to Filemon Lepe, the originals 
of documents bearing on the case, and officially signed by 
General M. M. Acosta, who was Lepe's prosecutor, copies of 
which, with their respective translations into English, are 
herewith enclosed — authorizing said Lepe to bring with him, 
on his mission to Guadalajara, the automobile and coaches in 
question; and which "mission" was to sell them there for 
the benefit of a party whose personality is not far in the 
background of the ugly picture. (The Amando Lepe referred 
to in said documents is the father of Filemon.) 

I have been told that recently there has been quite a 
furore in Mexico City, on account of robberies of many kinds 
from private citizens — especially automobiles, coaches and 
horses — and that Generals Blanco, Acosta and others in 
authority there, have been severely criticised as being re- 
sponsible for them, and that fearing for their own fate after 
the prospective early change of Government, they are trying 
to clear — or white-wash — themselves in the blood of innocent 
people, or those inferioi in authority. 

The Lepe case not only proves the intent of a superior 
officer, to try to have the life of an inferior — less guilty than 
himself — sacrificed, to save his own reputation, but also the 
estimate put upon human life, as compared to the value of 
horse flesh, in the humane conception of General Manuel M. 
Dieguez, Military Governor of the State of Jalisco! 



DOCUMENTARY PROOFS IN LEPE CASE 53 

Following are copies of the three orders referred to, given 
in full, correctly translated from the Spanish : 

SEAL : Mexican Republic. 

Army of the North-West. 
Headquarters Cavalry 
Division: Number 2657. 

The "Bens" automobile, which has been at your service 
here, you may dispose of to take to Guadalajara, for use in 
the commission you carry. 

The First Chief of the Cavalry Division. 
Constitution and Reform 
Mexico, October 11, 1914. 

(Signed) M. M. ACOSTA. 
To Citizen, 

Filemon Lepe, 
Present. 

SEAL: Mexicon Republic. 

Army of the North-West. 
Headquarters Cavalry 
Division : Number 2658. 

Citizen Filemon Lepe, private employe of General 
Blanco, goes to Guadalajara on a mission of this General 
Headquarters, and it is requested of all authorities, chiefs and 
officials of the Constitutionalist army, that he be respected, 
and given all protection he may ask for. 
Constitution and Reform 
Mexico, October 11, 1914. 
The First Chief of the Cavalry Division. 

(Signed) M. M. ACOSTA. 
To the Citizens, 

Chief, Officers and Constitutional Authorities. 



54 THE CASE OF FILEMON LEPE CONCLUDED 

SEAL: Mexicon Republic. 
Army of the North-West. 

Headquarters Cavalry ,^ 

Division : Number 2659. * 

The coaches, automobiles and horses that have been 
shipped to Guadalajara in cars Nos. 24394, 25850 and 25076, 
and which have been consigned to Mr. Amado Lepe, by order 
of this headquarters, and by the Military Commandante here, 
should be delivered by the proper parties to Mr. Lej)e im- 
mediately on arrival. 

Constitution and Reform 
Mexico, October 11, 1914. 
The First Chief of the Cavalry Division. 

(Signed) M. M. ACOSTA. 
To Whom It May Concern. 

Could any one require stronger proofs of the justness 
of my indictments of Generals Acosta and Dieguez? "We 
should worry !" 

Moreover, I was afterwards informed by Filemon Lepe, 
that he had been entrusted with the vehicles in question, and 
commissioned to bring them to Guadalajara, and sell them, 
for Generals Blanco and Acosta's account. But popular 
clamor against the many robberies in Mexico City had in 
the meantime grown sc rife, that it was thought best to 
make some restitutions, and among the goods to be so re- 
turned to their proper owners, happened to be these, at the 
time in the possession of Filemon Lepe, while at Guadalajara, 
where he was trying to sell them. 

It was the belief of Lepe's friends, that on account of 
the fact that General Acosta knew that the American Con- 
sul was advised of his behavior in this case, was the chief 
cause of Lepe's escape from what would have been one of 
the most dastardly murders ever committed by man; which 



ON PRESENT, AND PROSPECTIVE CONDITIONS 55 

goes to show that although some people may be conscience- 
less in their conduct toward their fellow-beings where they 
may think it would never be known — nevertheless, they will 
shrink from doing certain things, if they fear publicity — they 
will skulk away from their prey at the approach of dis- 
covering light, as all thieves and murderers who hope to con- 
summate their atrocities under the cover of darkness. Would 
that the acts of more of such semi-legalized banditry — 
which is being perpetrated all over the Republic of Mexico 
during these revolutions — could be brought out and kept ex- 
posed to the light of day, than it is possible for these chron- 
icles to recount! 

November 7th, 1914. 
Conditions Prevailing and Actually Threatening, Hereabouts 

In further prosecution of the above subject, I have to say, 
that although this is the most favored section of the Republic 
of Mexico, it is now in the vespertine stage of a succeeding 
day, which will bring to these people dire distress and want. 
While the prices of all primary articles of food, clothing, etc., 
have advanced para pasu with the increasing rates of foreign 
exchange, the wages of the people are the same as hereto- 
fore. For instance, sugar, which formerly — (when exchange 
was two Mexican pesos for one American dollar) — sold for 20 
centavos per kilo, is now selling for 50 centavos per kilo. 

The late minimum wage edict of General Dieguez has 
thrown thousands of laborers out of employment. On ac- 
count of this edict, and the absence of "guarantias" (pro- 
tection) many haciendados will not sow wheat this season — 
they will also abandon many other crops — and this is being 
done to such an extent, that conservative people here, 
prophesy that before the middle of 1915, actual starvation will 
be at the doors of thousands, who never before had ex- 
perienced the pangs of hunger. 



56 CORRESPONDENCE WITH LOCAL AMERICANS 

If this is a true pen-picture of the prospective economic 
future that threatens here, one would wonder what may be 
that of some sections of the northern part of the Republic ; 
at least where, in my journey from El Paso to Aguascalientes, 
made about the middle of August, there could not be seen 
the promise of a single tortolla in the corn fields that could 
be observed from the windows of the railway coaches; nor 
a frijol, or one garbanzo. At that time I was told that the 
people of those sections were living on foods which had been 
shipped in from elsewhere. The crops from Lagos and Leon, 
to Guadalajara, were excellent; but this section cannot feed 
the whole Republic of Mexico. 

Truly, the economic conditions confronting these people, 
promise soon to become more deplorable than any they have 
yet had to suffer — and the greatest sufferings will — as they 
always do in such cases — fall upon the poor; upon those least 
responsible for the conditions that have obtained in this 
country. 

November 28th, 1914. 
Correspondence With Local People, Bearing on American 
Interests Hereabouts 
I am herewith transmitting copies of correspondences 
recently had concerning the doings, by armed forces with 
the Amparo Mining Company, Cinco Minas Company, and 
the Santa Efigenia Milling Company — each of which will ex- 
plain itself. 

Amparo Mining Co , Etzatlan, Jalisco, Nov, 26, 1914. 
Will B. Davis, 

American Consul, 

Guadalajara, Mexico. 
"Dear Sir; — On Thursday, the 24th, at 2 o'clock in the 
afternoon, a band of men, calling themselves Villistas, to the 
number of possibly 6.S, came in on this place. They sur- 



LETTER FROM JAS. HOWARD 57 

rounded the mill, sending a small force to the mine — a place 
we call No. 2 shaft — where the principle extraction of ore 
takes place. My brother, Mr. William Howard, was on his 
way from the mill to the administration building which, as 
you are aware, is situated about two kilometers from the mill. 
He rode right into a bunch of these fellows, and was im- 
mediately made prisoner. 

"The cabecilla in command, a man from Ameca by the 
name of Francisco Diaz, came down to the administration 
building, and while he behaved decently, took what money 
we had in the safe, amounting to 4,090 pesos ; also five rifles — 
which were those, you will remember, that were sold to us 
by the United States Consul, Mr. Magill, a couple of years 
ago. They also took fourteen head of horses belonging to the 
company, and to various foreign employes. They broke into 
the store, and took 379 pesos from the safe, but did no loot- 
ing — in fact, they spent 39 pesos of the money they had 
taken, in making purchases in the store! Various employes 
were robbed of small amounts; but otherwise the behavior 
of the men was rather better than would have been expected. 

"Before leaving, they intimated they would send back for 
more money later. Would you kindly take a note of these 
occurrences, communicating the same to Washington, so that 
the matter can be brought, later, to the notice of General 
Francisco Villa, throug the United States representative who 
accompanies him? 

"Our Mr. Askew may leave for Manzanillo on business 
for us in the next few days, and would carry any letters you 
might wish to send out of the country, via Pacific Mail 
Steamer, due at Manzanillo the 13th. Would you send us 
any kind of a letter, in such terms as you might consider 
would be useful to us; as, under existing conditions we may 
expect a repetition of such a visit as I have reported, for we 
hear of various revolutionary movements in the neighbor- 



58 MY ANSWER TO JAS. HOWARD AND F. W. OLDFIELD 

hood. You of course know the value of the five rifles, and 
the six rounds of ammunition, because they were bought from 
the American Consul ; and we will send you later, a valuation 
on the horses. Would it be possible for you to suggest to 
the State Department in Washington, that the United States 
representative, whoever he may be, that accompanied Gen- 
eral Villa, should ask the said Francisco Villa to send orders 
to this State, to respect American property? Something of 
the kind might help out." 

(Signed) JAS. HOWARD, 

General Manager. 
Guadalajara, November 27th, 1914. 

"Mr. Jas. Howard, General Manager Amparo Mining Co., 

Etzatlan, Jal. 

"Dear Sir: — I have to say in reply to yours of the 26th, 
received today, that I am having copies of same made — as 
well as of some other letters recently received at the Con- 
sulate concerning similar complaints — for transmission to 
Washington by first opportunity. 

"Under date of October 31st, the Department of State 
telegraphed me for information as to the (then) existing con- 
ditions in this vicinity, in answer to which I have written a 
series of some four or five dispatches, and while in these I 
made no pretense of relating the multitude of ugly incidents 
which have occurred hereabouts recently, I gave a few 
selected, and well authenticated cases, and a description of 
the general feeling, etc., which I cannot but believe conveyed 
to Washington as accurate a pen-picture of the economico- 
political situations, both present and prospective, as could 
well be mentally codaked of such a Pandora-box of a subject. 

"As to my estimating for you the value of the guns, you 
must do that yourself; and to this end I am herewith enclos- 
ing a copy of Department's circular instructions on the sub- 



LETTER FROM J. B. MULHALL 59 

ject. You perhaps had better wait until this cruel war is 
over, keeping in the meantime accurate accounts of all losses 
and damages at the hands of armed forces. 

"(Signed), WILL B. DAVIE, Vice Consul." 

"Guadalajara, November 27th, 1914. 
"Mr. F. W. Oldfield, Manager Cinco Minas Co., Magdalena, 

Jalisco 

"Dear Sir: — Enclosed please find copies of correspon- 
dence which I have recently had with the Governor of this 
State, regarding contents of your letter to this Consulate, 
which was dated November 19th. I would infer from the 
Governor's reply to my communication, that he has no inten- 
tion of making good the amount (960 pesos), that you were 
compelled to deliver to Captain Perez. I suggest, therefore, 
that you include this amount in your claims for damages 
sustained by your company during these war times. 

"(Signed), WILL B. DAVIS, Vice Consul. 

"Amatlan de Canas, November 19, 1914. 
"Will B. Davis, American Consul, Guadalajara, Mexico. 

"My Dear Sir : — Can you tell me if peace has been de- 
clared? Every one here says so, and for my own personal 
safety, and that of my wife, I would like to know the truth, 
if possible. 

"I have opened all branches of my work, but we have no 
protection at all; and if I can't have protection, then I will 
close all work down, and go to Guadalajara. 

"On the 11th of the present month, the people in this 
town rose up against the Carranza Government, killed the 
"Commandant^ and gave the Prefect so many hours to leave 
town ; and owing to this, we have no authorities in power 
here at present. Last evening, at 5 P. M., the crowd that 
raised up here for Villa, came in with a force they had gath- 



60 MULHALL'S LETTER AND MY REPLY 

ered together at Ameca, and it was only a few moments until 
one of them came for my pistol, which I did not give up ; and 
presently, along came two more, for my pistol and horse; 
and as my horse had died last Sunday, I told them it lay 
dead down on the Plaza — if they wanted it. Well, very 
shortly another hombrc came and said his Captain wanted to 
see me on business at the Meson, and I told him to tell his 
Jefe to come to my house; but he sent again and said to 
excuse him, that he was very busy, and for me to come to 
the Meson. So I went along with my wife, as I could not 
leave her at home alone, owing to having no confidence in 
this class of people. We were received with respect, and 
have nothing to complain of as to their conduct. The Captain 
wanted to know if I wished to help them out with a loan, 
and for which he would give me his receipt, which would 
serve me as an order on General Villa, then at Aguascalien- 
tes. I gave them ten pesos as I knew the Captain personally. 
He is an Amatlan man — as well as several of his soldiers, 
who have worked for me. 

"Here is the question : There will be outside gangs com- 
ing in, whom I may not know, and if Villa cannot give pro- 
tection, as he said he would to Americans, then I want to get 
out. I shall hope to hear from you soon. But if peace has 
been declared, then why can't we have a force of soldiers out 
here? This has always been a very bad place; and a strong 
jefe should be sent out here, with no less than 50 soldiers to 
keep order, as a force of 10 or 12 gendarmes cannot keep law 
and order in this town • for it has been tried several times, and 
each time they have been run out. 

"(Signed), J. B. MULHALL." 

"Guadalajara, November 23rd, 1914. 
"Mr. J. B. Mulhall, Amatlan de Canas, Territory of Tepic. 
"Dear Sir : — Replying to yours of the 19th, I have to say 



GUADALAJARA DURING A STATE OF ISOLATION 61 

that we are compelled, from this view-point, to try to observe 
what is going on through as highly obscured mediums as 
you are yourself reduced to at Amatlan de Canas ; for we have 
not had any mail from Mexico City for over two weeks, and 
no telegraphic communcation. If I were to advise you under 
these circumstances, it would be as the blind leading the 
blind, for our facilities for finding out what may be happen- 
ing beyond the bridge of our respective noses are equally un- 
satisfactory. 

"(Signed), WILL B. DAVIS, Vice Consul." 

"December 12, 1914. 

Condition of Affairs at Guadalajara, while this Section has 

been isolated 

"We have been cut ofT from communication with the 
outside world ever since the 16th of November, that having 
been the last day that a through-train reached here. I have 
inquired at the telegraph office daily to ascertain if a tele- 
gram could be sent, but without favorable results. Quiet 
has reigned to a remarkable degree under the circumstances. 

"Americans have not been molested, nor do they ap- 
prehend any special danger. We have been expecting that 
the Villa forces would reach Guadalajara soon, but the time 
is becoming long drawn out. Inasmuch as at any time I 
have not felt in personal danger, I have remained at my 
post, and been enabled to help out in several cases of Amer- 
ican interests, and serve as a sort of moral stay to the Amer- 
icans here, keeping in mind the State Department's instruc- 
tions, leaving certain matters to my personal discretion. Var- 
ious rumors have been fabricated almost daily, the most 
amusing of which was set afloat by a fake telegram, which 
was generally believed by the Mexicans, and which reads as 
follows : 



62 JAPANESE CANARD AND CASE OF THREE WOMEN 

" 'Japanese Steamer "Itziima," 12-8-1914, off Chamela, via 

Manzanillo. 

" 'I, Yoshito, Micado of Japan, the Empire of the Rising 
Sun, and the Chrisanthymum, in the name of the Almighty, 
do declare war to the American Republics of the United 
States and Mexico, for offenses and injuries committed by 
citizens of both countries to Japanese residents in the West- 
ern coasts of North America. I also hereby declare, that our 
fleet will be sent to Manzanillo to take that place by blood 
and fire, and land our army which will force its march inland 
to the Capitol and plant our glorious flag on the ancient 
palaces of the Moctezumas. 

'NIPON BANZE, (Signed), K. IKEDA, Rear Admiral.' 

"As ludicrous as the Japanese canard appeared upon its 
face, the Mexican public — without regard to class — believed 
it to be bona fide ; only they could not understand why Japan 
was going to make war on Mexico when the latter had always 
proved herself to be so pro-Japanese and anti- American! To 
try to convince them that the telegram was only a fake, was 
to waste so much time. Of course, it was true ; and some 
went so far as to say the telegram had been traced down and 
proven to have come through perfectly reliable channels! 

A party of three women and a man came to my room 

at 3:15 this morning; and when awake — the lights having al- 
ready been turned on by the servant admitting them — I saw 
all three of the women on their knees, with their hands ex- 
tended in imploring attitudes, and as in one voice, beseeching 
me "for the love of God, and the Virgin Mary," to intercede 
with the Governor on behalf of their husbands, who had been 
condemned to be shot at 6 A. M. The women were ordinarily 
clad, but the man was a well dressed person. When I ex- 
plained to them why I could not intermeddle in such matters, 
the man insisted that I do so on grounds of humanity. They 



HUSBANDS OF THE THREE WOMEN ARE EXECUTED 63 

went away seemingly much dissatisfied and joined in a com- 
mon chorus of, "i que hombre de corazon empedrenado!" 
(What a man, with a heart of stone!) 

The women had told me that the German Consul had prom- 
ised to intercede for the lives of the husbands. My answer 
was that I did not know how the German Government viewed 
such matters, but was sure that my Government would cen- 
sure any of its representatives should they so meddle in pure- 
ly Mexican affairs. I spoke to the German Consul at noon, 
that day, when he confirmed to me the statement of the wo- 
men as to his promise to intercede, and which he had under- 
taken to do, as he said, at 5, that morning. 

I asked him with what result, and he answered that the 
men had been executed at 2 o'clock — just three hours before 
he reached General Dieguez. This was one hour before the 
women had called on me! ! I afterwards learned that the men 
in question had for years been notorious criminals and had 
been outlawed by all of the local Governments, of whatever 
faction, which would imply that they must have been very 
bad hombres indeed; and this went far in relieving my feel- 
ings of distress at being debarred from trying to do some- 
thing to alleviate the unhappiness of the three bereft and 
widowed women. 

Thus endeth my account of the First Term of the 
Dieguez Administration. 



64 CARRANCISTAS EVACUTE GUADALAJARA 



CHAPTER TEN 

BEING A BRIEF ACCOUNT OF A SHORT INTER-' 

REGNUM 

"December 15th, 1914. 
The Evacuation of Guadalajara by the Carranzistas 

Before entering on an account of the First Term of the 
Villa Administration, I will tell you about how Guadalajara 
conducted herself during an interregnum — the time elapsing 
between the abandonment of the city by the Carrancistas 
and the entrance of the Villistas : 

I transmit herewith copies of General Dieguez' edict, 
issued just before leaving Guadalajara. The edict was simply 
a farce; but it gave the Dieguez Government an excuse to 
sack the Palace, and some of the other Government buildings, 
before departing, under the guise of moving the seat of Gov- 
ernment from Guadalajara to Ciudad Guzman, about half 
way between here and Manzanillo, on the line of the Mexican 
Central R. R. 

Learning of the departure of the Carranzista forces, 
which occurred early yesterday morning, I went to the 
Palace, but found it closed. I then went to the Ayuntamiento 
(City Hall) building, where I met Senor Louis Castellanos, 
Presidente of the Ayuntamiento (City Council), and he in- 
formed me that he had been charged by the departing Gover- 
nor with the management of affairs until the arrival of the 
Villista forces, then some fifty miles out, at, or near, Ocotlan, 
where their progress towards Guadalajara had been delayed 
on account of the destruction of a bridge which the Carr- 
anzistas had effected before retreating from there. He ad- 
mitted the delicacy of the situation, saying that there were 



A BRIEF INTERREGNUM AT GUADALAJARA 65 

but a few city policemen available, and that there was not 
any money on hand to pay a force, because Governor Dieguez 
had demanded the last cent in the city treasury before 
leaving. 

He agreed to calling a general meeting of the represen- 
tative citizens, including the Consular corps, at the Ayunta- 
miento building for 4 P. M., that day, to advise as to the best 
measures to be taken for the protection of the city until the 
Villista forces could arrive, and he insisted on my attending 
said meeting. I attended, but did not take active part in 
the proceedings. (Everybody, without regard to nationality, 
were interested in the maintainance of peace and order during 
this interim.) At the meeting a committee of five represen- 
tative citizens were named and given powers to provide for 
public safety, and were guaranteed ample funds to defray all 
expenses. All who could offer their services for police duty 
were requested to report by 6 P. M. at their respective Comi- 
sarias (police stations) with such arms as they might have, 
where each would receive written authority to act, and would 
be duly assigned; and it was agreed that any one pretending 
to patrol the city after that hour, who could not produce such 
written authority, was to be arrested. Up to the present 
moment, 5 P. M., 15th, complete queit has reigned in the 
city and business houses, which were all closed throughout 
yesterday, are opening their doors again. During all of yes- 
terday the people were in a panicky state. I advised Amer- 
icans to maintain calm attitudes — for each to conduct himself 
as if he felt secure — and not to display the country's colors, 
as other nationals were doing, but to be ready at a moment's 
notice, to close up everything tight, and then raise the colors. 
In the meantime I had three automobiles with good chauf- 
feurs ready to fly over the city and warn all Americans to 
come to the Consulate. This I could have accomplished in 
a very short space of time with the aid of my ready-prepared 



66 SUBJECT OF BRIEF INTERREGNUM CONTINUED 

list of every American citizen, which I always keep on hand, 
though I really did not expect to have to use it on this oc- 
casion. 

A commission is out at present to try to reach the Vill- 
istas and to urge them to the city at the earliest possible 
moment, but as yet it has not succeeded. Nor have we been 
able to learn who is in command of the Villistas, or who has 
been commissioned by the Villista President, Gutierrez, (at 
least who was Provisional President the last time we heard 
anything from the outside world,) to be Governor of this 
State. 

From this time on, I will note down happenings as they 
may occur, and forward by first opportunity, together with 
other mail already accumulated. We have had no trains for 
some time except purely military convoys. 

Thus the city of Guadalajara had the only opportunity 
in her long history, perhaps, of posing as a pure and unadul- 
terated "Miss Democracy," even for so short a period of time. 
Nevertheless, and notwithstanding the profound sense of in- 
security felt by her whole population, she was never more 
well behaved, if we are to judge from the absence of infrac- 
tions of the peace and well being of the community, than 
during the entire time of the interregnum. Volunteer guards- 
men, afoot and mounted, policed every part of the city day 
and night. Every hour of the night sounds of horses' hoofs 
resounded upon the pavements as the mounted patrols were 
passing, and at frequent intervals cries of "All's well" could 
be heard as word was passed from beat to beat by the ama- 
teur infantry police on guard. All was well, because the 
civilian population had taken matters into their own hands 
for the time — but the contingency had been forced upon 
them. What if the true taxpaying citizens of Mexico should 
try this experiment for longer periods of time and on a larger 
scale? — ah, that would be a revolution worth while! 



SOME OF CONSULAR CORPS TRIED TO "ASSIST" 67 

NOTE : The following^ was not written until February 
2d, 1915. It refers to occurrences which transpired during 
the time we are now treating of, and anticipates a little in 
its references to General Dieguez's return to Guadalajara. 
We nevertheless think this is the more proper place to in- 
sert it. 

February 2d, 1915. 
The Behavior of Some of the Consular Corps When General 
Dieguez Evacuated Gladalajara. 

During the change from Carranza to Villa Governments 
here, about six weeks ago, several Consular representatives 
offered their services to the citizens' committee, to go out 
and conduct General Villa into the city. The committee 
made quite a show and created a sensation, splurging about 
the city in automobiles under white flags before leaving for 
Octolan, where it expected to meet General Villa. I was 
much annoyed by both Americans and Mexicans, at the time, 
by questions as to why I did not go. My answer was, that 
if any of them would give me a good reason why I should 
have gone, I would undertake to give my reasons for why 
I did not go. 

General Dieguez has since returned, and is very much 
displeased with the reception accorded to General Villa when 
he, Dieguez, felt obliged to evacuate the city. Both foreign- 
ers, and natives, are well convinced now that I did not make 
a mistake when I declined to accept spectacular honors upon 
the approach of General Villa. 

Just after the adjournment of the citizens' meeting as 
described in my letter dated December 15, I overheard a con- 
versation between the British Vice Consul and another, and 
suspecting something of what was on the tapis, I asked 
about it. I was answered that a committee of foreign con- 
suls were to be appointed by Senor Castellanos to go out 



68 AUTHOR DOES NOT JOIN OTHERS 

and conduct General Villa into Guadalajara, and was assured 
that I would be one of the consuls selected. I prohibited the 
use of my name in connection with such a scheme, and de- 
clared that if I were named on such a committee I would 
not act — and that I did not wish the embarrassment to be 
forced upon me of having to decline the honor after Sefior 
Castellanos may have requested me to so act. I was sur- 
prised at the eagerness with which some sought to be named 
on such a committee, but felt that I should not say more — or 
do more — than keep my own skirts clear from joining such 
a delegation. I felt sure than the idea of sending out a corps 
of foreign representatives to conduct General Villa into 
Guadalajara had not originated with Sefior Castellanos; at 
the same time I could also understand that he could not well 
have refused such an offer after it had been tendered by the 
Consuls. 

When the Consuls returned to Guadalajara I inquired 
of them about their interview with General Villa, etc. They 
informed me that when they had introduced themselves to 
General Villa, and made their mission known to him, the 
first question which he asked them was why some of the 
Mexicans had not accompanied them ; and that after they had 
explained to him that they had been appointed by the Presi- 
dente Municipal, he then asked them why the American 
Consul did not come. 



GENERAL VILLA'S ENTRANCE INTO GUADALAJARA 69 



CHAPTER ELEVEN 

BEING AN ACCOUNT OF THE FIRST TERM OF 
THE VILLA ADMINISTRATION 

December 19, 1914. 

The entrance of General Francisco Villa into Guadalajara 
was a march of triumph. He, with his advance guard, pro- 
gressed from the railroad station to the palace with all the 
glamour of a conquering hero — not omitting a profusion of 
brass band accompaniments. 

All Guadalajara was out to welcome him, the proletariat 
along the streets and the upper classes from their balconies 
kept up a continual din of "Viva Mexico!" while literally 
covering General Villa and staff with confetti and vari- 
colored serpentines all along their way of march. Every 
church bell in the city (and there were hundreds) intoned 
welcomes — men, women and children of all classes seemed 
beside themselves in giving expression to their ecstacies of 
joy. Hardly a building but displayed national colors in pro- 
fusion — no one was ever more universally, unreservedly, en- 
thusiastically and demonstratively welcomed to a community 
than was General Francisco Villa on this, his first entrance 
into Guadalajara. 

Who is this man Villa? It would be superfluous here 
to undertake to tell. 

NOTE : As to my personal opinion of him, the reader 
might gather an idea by turning to my letter dated April 
28th, 1915, under "An Account of a Few of the Many As- 
sassinations by the Villiastas," and especially to that part of 
same which tells of "The Case of Joaquin Cuesta." I should 
not wish to put into writing my opinion of such an uncon- 
scionable bandit and monstrous assassin. 



70 VILLA CALLS MEETING OF MEXICAN CIVILIANS 

December 19, 1914. 

Something of What General Francisco Villa Has Done Since 
Establishing His Government Here. 

I consider General Villa's manner of dealing with "la 
gente decente" (the better classes) too interesting to not 
report of it to you. 

In my letter dated 17th, the last paragraph read: "The 
general public are rejoiced at the arrival of General Villa," 
and they were, not that they loved him so much, but because 
they had learned to distrust and despise General Dieguez 
more. 

Yesterday, 18th, General Villa requested a meeting of 
the representative citizens be held, ostensibly to receive sug- 
gestions, etc., as to their opinions on how the newly estab- 
lished Government should be conducted. I did not attend 
the meeting, but about 5 P. M. I sauntered out towards the 
Ayuntamiento building, where it was to have begun at 4 
P. M., and had to wait only a few minutes on the outside 
until the audience began to pour into the street. 

It was evident that the meeting had been numerously 
attended by the wealthier citizens and, I judged from the 
expressions on their countenances, that they were very much 
pleased with the result. I learned that the proceedings at 
the meeting were, substantially, as follows : General Villa 
addressed the gathering, saying that he had been charged by 
his enemies as having been a robber bandit, etc., but that 
there never was a word of truth in any such — that it was his 
aim to restore peace and order to the Republic — that this 
once established it was his desire to retire to private life; 
but he warned them that a Government maintained for the 
rich classes exclusively was forever at an end — that this 
was as sure as that God reigned in heaven — and that the his- 
tory of the guillotine in Paris would be as nothing compared 



GENERAL MEDINA, VILLISTA GOVERNOR 71 

to what might be in store for them if this was not so — that 
he needed for immediate purposes one million pesos, and that 
the wealthy citizens must produce it in proportion as the 
Administration de Rentas (Department of Taxes) would at 
once make known to them, respectively. Asked if he re- 
ferred to the State of Jalisco, or only to the city of Guadala- 
jara, he replied that he expected this first million pesos solely 
from the citizens of Guadalajara. Also, when asked if it must 
all come from the Mexicans, he told them yes; and that if 
any foreigners were present, they had come either of their 
own volition or by invitation from mistaken Mexicans. 

I met a Mexican friend on the Plaza de Armas last night 
who had complained to me of having had to pay, by similar 
assessment, ten thousand pesos to the Carrancista Govern- 
ment a short time before, and I asked him how much of the 
Villa million would fall to his lot. He answered: "No es 
mas que otro chingada intentada para echarnos a la calle !" 
(It is only one more effort to throw us, penniless, on the 
street), omitting the vulgar seasoning from the translation. 

General Medina has been regularly installed Governor. 
I have not met him yet, though I called on General Villa 
yesterday. He received me very cordially. 

January 5th, 1915. 

I have had occasions to meet General Medina with fre- 
quency since my letter of December 19. Of people whom I 
have known to have been elevated to positions disparagingly 
beyond their merits — and I had seen many such examples 
in my own country as well as in Mexico — this General Me- 
dina is the freak of them all. 

Heavens ! — the change from the old Diaz regime to the 
Carranza hoodlums was bad enough, but to have to treat 
with this thing — this ignoramus — this untutored Indian — how 
can it be done? 

General Medina had formerly been a mechanic. But 



n AUTHOR TRIES TO TREAT WITH INDIAN 

when speaking of tradesmen, in Mexican parlance, one must 
not think to compare them with the intelligent American 
craftsman — oh, no, that would never do. 

General Medina looks the Indian — General Medina acts 
Indian — General Medina is an Indian — and, worst of all, an 
untutored Indian. 

But I will say for General Medina that I believe his in- 
tentions are good — that if he knew how, he would do bet- 
ter — but he doesn't know how to conduct the affairs of State. 
He doesn't fit. He could not rise to the office, and to bring 
the office to his level would be like unto a return to the times 
of the North American aboriginees, with their moccasin and 
tepee settings and tom-tom accompaniments — figuratively 
speaking. 

January 10, 1915. 

I have not been able, so far, to get General Medina to 
do anything towards the restoration of an automobile, and 
a number of horses and mules, taken from American citizens. 
He answers my letters with very positive expressions of a 
desire to furnish protection to all foreigners, but I have not- 
been able to get him to issue an order for the restoration of 
anything, as General Villa did on similar cases while here. 

I reminded Governor Medina of General Villa's prompt- 
ness in responding to my requests, but not anything, it 
seems, makes an impression on him. I could furnish you 
with copies of a lot of correspondence between this Consulate 
and Governor Medina, but the above statement gives the im- 
port of them all. I do not think that the most optimistically 
inclined could discern anything encouraging in the present 
situation. All the raised hopes on the part of the public at 
a change from the Carrancista to the Villista Government 
have vanished. The civilian public is like as unto a flock of 
sheep — to be preyed upon, and it is fast coming to the con- 
clusion that the particular brand of the wolf does not alter 



DIEGUEZ AND ARMY APPROACHING GUADALAJARA 11 

their fate. Hence, a state of as thorough demoralization 
exists here as could be imagined. 

January 16, 1915. 
Recent Military Movements Hereabouts — Their Effect On 
the Public; and Present Status of Affairs. 

All of yesterday, 15th, this city of 200,000 population, 
was in a state of extreme tension. The Carrancistas, headed 
by the late Governor, General Dieguez, were waging an ag- 
gressive fight to re-enter Guadalajara — their forces had 
reached nfear enough to enable all here to hear the cannon- 
ading, some miles out. They were being held back by the 
Villistas under General Medina. 

The Dieguistas were more numerous and better equipped 
than the Villistas, but had not succeeded in bringing up their 
main forces to the battle front. The Villistas, recognizing 
their inferiority, as matters stood — and though hoping for 
re-enforcements — were actively preparing to evacuate, or be 
ready to leave towards Irapuato last night, in case promised 
re-enforcements did not arrive. All the early part of the 
afternoon of yesterday, what soldiers had been left in the 
city were moving to the railroad station, where trains were 
waiting to carry them to La Junata, the junction of the Man- 
zanillo and Irapuato branches, some five miles out, where all 
the military trains of the Villistas were assembled. 

I learned that all Government employees had gone out 
to La Junta in the morning, as it had been said that General 
Dieguez would re-enter Guadalajara on the 15th, when he 
would proceed to hang, in the Plaza de Armes, every man 
who had served the Villista Government in any capacity, as 
well as many others who had openly manifested their sympa- 
thies for said faction — not sparing any, except some of the 
common soldiers. As a result of this, yesterday's train for 
Mexico City was packed by private citizens — those of the 



74 UNCERTAINTY AS TO RESULT OF PENDING BATTLE 

better class — beyond standing room, the overflow climbing 
on the roofs of the cars. An American friend told me that 
there must have been at least 150 persons riding on top of 
the cars when the train went out. At 3 :30 in the afternoon, 
seeing what I took to be the last contingent of the Villa sol- 
diers marching to the station, I paid close attention. There 
were about 300 in line, but not over one-third carried arms. 
Those who had arms did not have any ammunition in sight, 
a thing which the Mexican soldier seems very fond of dis- 
playing — when he has it. They all appeared sad, rather cast 
down in spirit. 

At 4 o'clock I sent the Consulate messenger, a Mexican 
employee, to the station to ascertain the import of the move- 
ments that were going on, as I felt that the body of troops 
just mentined was not going out to fight. In the meantime, 
I made an observation reconnoiter to the Palace, the Arch- 
bishopric (which latter had been converted into a military 
barracks) and to Carmen barracks. All these places were 
deserted, except for the presence of an occasional looker-on. 
I accosted a young Mexican who was passing on a bicycle, 
and he told me that he had just finished a round of all the 
military barracks of the city and that he had found them all 
abandoned. 

The Consulate messenger returned from his mission soon 
after I had arrived at the Consulate and told me that he had 
overheard a Captain say that if re-enforcements should not 
reach Guadalajara before the following morning, the Villistas 
would be entrained for Irapuato. I then made another recon- 
noiter to ascertain the feeling among the citizenry. The 
streets were all well populated and extreme apprehension was 
apparent in the countenances of everybody. 

I had only just returned to the Consulate after my 
second observation tour, when I saw coming from toward 
the railroad station the same body of troops which I had 



I 



BATTLE RAGING NEAR GUADALAJARA 75 

seen going out some two hours before. When they passed 
this time they seemed to be in great spirits. I sent the mes- 
senger out to learn the why of this apparent change. He 
soon returned and told me that General Medina had received 
a telegram from General Villa urging him to hold Guadala- 
jara at any cost — that ample re-enforcements were on the 
way and would arrive during the night — he himself follow- 
ing these re-enforcements with an army of ten thousand. 
This was about 5 P. M. 

During these several days of tension there has been 
music by some of the military bands in the Plaza de Armes 
every night from 7 to 9. I hardly expected there would be 
music on the plaza last night, but there was. I went down 
to the plaza. The Palace was lighted and the regular con- 
tingent of guards were on duty at all the entrances to the 
building. At 7 :30 General Medina, accompanied by his staff, 
appeared on the central balcony of the Palace and, as best 
he could (he is an uneducated man), addressed the large con- 
course of people, assuring them that there was no cause for 
alarm — that before the bandit (referring to General Dieguez) 
who was attempting to return and persecute them reached 
the city, he would have to do it over his (General Medina's) 
dead body, etc., etc. This all sounded good to his hearers. 
He was heartily cheered. The band in the plaza played the 
"Diana" (the same which I had before heard in the bull-ring 
when a matador had acquitted himself to the approval of 
the audience) and afterward the air of the Mexican National 
Hymn, when all hats went off. 

It was a little cool on the plaza that evening, and on 
finding myself sneezing soon after taking off my own hat, I 
made for my hotel without delay. I was afterwards told that 
no further demonstrations took place. Feelings of greater 
confidence are manifested everywhere this morning, 16th. 

It is reported that General Angeles arrived during the 



76 PROGRESS OF BATTLE PARTIALLY SEEN AND HEAD 

night with ample artillery, and that at 3 A. M. General Villa | 
with an army of 10,000 troops passed Penjamo, about 150 
miles distant. He should, therefore — if reports are correct — 
reach Guadalajara or La Junta by noon. But it is now 
12 M., and I have not heard of the arrival of General Villa, 
nor do I know if there was any truth in the report that Gen- 
eral Angeles had arrived last night. In his speech last night, 
though General Medina did not refer to expected re-enforce- 
ments, or to any move made that afternoon toward evacu- 
ating the city, some re-enforcements must have arrived from 
somewhere — and there could be no doubts about arrange- 
ments having been made for evacuating Guadalajara, whether 
by order of General Medina or not. 

January 19, 1915. 
Retaking of Guadalajara by General Dieguez and His Re- 
entrance Into the City. 

I have been unable to get any mail out, or telegraph, for 
some days. From appearances, all mail received lately has 
been tampered with — there can be no doubt about it. There- 
fore, I shall not entrust anything to these mails until greater 
security is promised; but will continue chronicling happen- 
ings and forward as soon as it may be done with safety, by 
private means as far as the border, at least. 

During Saturday, 16th, and Sunday, 17th, comparative 
quiet reigned, though there were numerous skirmishes be- 
tween the advanced columns of the contending forces; but 
at the break of day, this Monday morning, 18th, the Dieguis- 
tas had approached to within five miles of Guadalajara, and 
fighting has been in progress all along the lines up to the 
present writing, 12 M. The battle can be observed through 
field glasses from the roof of the Fenix Hotel — the tallest 
building in the city — and from the Country Clubhouse, lo- 
cated on an elevation in West End Colony. It is now the 



DIEGUESTAS REACH SUBURBS OF CITY 11 

general belief that the Villistas will win; but this may be 
only the offspring- of the wish. It is reported that a large 
body of the Villistas have gotten around to the rear of the 
Carrancistas to prevent the escape of the latter towards Say- 
ula, their present base. This also may be only rumor — the 
atmosphere is surcharged with rumors of all kinds. 

The Villistas, while being well supplied with artillery 
and men, are said to be short of ammunition for small arms. 
The Carrancistas are reported as well supplied with arms and 
ammunition of all kinds, and to be 14,000 strong. The Vil- 
listas claim to have been re-enforced to about an equal num- 
ber. Three P. M. No positive information, but from most 
reliable accounts the Carrancistas are gaining. Four P.M. 
About 100 uniformed but unarmed soldiers, with their quota 
of officers, are just passing from the station towards the Pal- 
ace. They look very much dispirited. I was told that they 
were two artillery corps, from whom the Carrancistas had 
captured four cannon and six rapid-fire guns, and that their 
present mission was to get more artillery and return to the 
front. Cannonading can now be heard almost continually 
from all parts of the city. Evidently, the Carrancistas are 
getting near Guadalajara. 

5 P. M. — Holdups are being reported from all parts of 
the city. I have just succeeded, through th-e Commandante 
of the Plaza, in ridding the house of A. R. Downs of bandits. 
This is the second time within the past ten days that I have 
had to do this for the Downs home. 5 :30 P. M. — Hearing a 
commotion on the street, I stepped to the balcony of the Con- 
sulate and find everybody — citizens and soldiers — running 
from the station toward the center of the city. An American 
friend came into the Consulate while I was writing the above 
paragraph, with cravat and collar in hand. He related that 
he had just seated himself in a barber's chair for a shave, 
when a yell, "The Carrancistas are coming," was heard, and 



78 OBSERVING BATTLE FROM TOP OF BUILDINGS 

everything went wild — "bughouse" — as he expressed it — and 
he had to come away without a shave. The merchants are 
barricading their doors and windows. Everybody is racing 
to get within doors. 5 :20 P. M. — I closed the Consulate and 
went to my hotel, from the roof of which could be observed 
nearby movements. The before-mentioned alarm was not 
false — the Villa soldiers at San Pedro, three miles out, had 
been driven in by the Carrancista Cavalry. 

When I reached the roof of the hotel, a large body of 
cavalry could be seen coming from toward San Pedro, via 
Agua Azul, a mile out. Also smoke could be seen and can- 
nonading heard in the direction of the Sierras near La Junta 
junction. Evidently the railroad line from there towards 
Mexico City is in the hands of the Carrancistas. 5 :30 P. M., 
the Carrancistas are closing in on the Villistas — the advance 
column of cavalry that was approaching from the direction 
of San Pedro, is now hidden from view by the groves about 
Agua Azul — yet a continuous rattle of musketry and rapid- 
fire guns can be heard from that direction. 

Soldiers in the streets of Guadalajara are in a panic — run- 
ning in every direction — and apparently to try to keep up 
their spirits, are yelling "Viva Villa!" But it is clearly to 
be seen that the Villistas have lost. 5 :50 P. M. — Two long 
trains, pulling out from La Junta, in the direction of Ameca, 
the only avenue of escape now left by rail, can be seen dis- 
tinctly, with the appearance of heavy fusilladings directed 
at the retreating trains from artillery planted along the foot- 
hills beyond. 6 P. M. — Firing can be heard from, in and 
about the railroad station, six blocks from the Palace. 6:10 
P. M. — Everybody retires from the roof of the hotel, and by 
the time they reached the lower floors, firing could be heard 
in the nearby streets ; first only occasional shots, soon to be 
succeeded by volleys from every direction. 6:20 P.M. — Col- 
umns of Carrancista cavalry and infantry are seen filling the 



BATTLE RAGES IN CITY— DIEGUEZ WINS 79 

Streets, coming, apparently, from everywhere. 6:30 P. M. — A 
general fusillade of musketry and rapid-fire arms apparently 
scattered all over the city — can be heard. This was kept up 
while the soldiery were rushing everywhere — until about 
8 :30 P. M. Our only means of distinguishing the Carran- 
cistas from the Villistas and vice versa, is by their battle 
cries — one, "Viva Villa!" the other, "Viva Carranza!" One 
would have expected that the streets would have been strewn 
with the dead, of either side. Shortly after 8 :30 P. M., the 
firing having ceased except for occasional outbreaks here and 
there, I went to supper. The dining room of the hotel is on 
the ground floor and separated from the rotunda in front by 
glass screens, so that one may, while eating, observe the 
movements on the street immediately outside. I had scarcely 
taken a seat, when General Murgia and stafif came in and 
ordered supper. Observing that an American-looking fellow 
was with them, I motioned to him to come to my table. He 
told me that the battle had been practically decided ever 
since 3 o'clock that afternoon. While he was relating to me 
the particulars of the battle, two rifle shots were heard from 
the street immediately in front of the hotel. At this, the 
American sprang up and went to the door. Returning di- 
rectly he told me that General Murgia's guards had shot a 
Villa soldier. After supper, I went out to see, and sure 
enough there was a dead soldier lying on the pavement, al- 
ready stripped of hat, shoes, coat and pantaloons. 

I soon retired for the night. Desultory firing could be 
heard from time to time from different parts of the city up 
to the time I went to sleep, which was at 11 :30. The death 
of the soldier in front of the hotel occurred thus : As he was 
passing in front of the hotel, he was hailed by General Mur- 
gia's guards with, "Quien vive?" The soldier answered, 
"General Villa !" — pum ! pum ! and he was dead. 



80 GENERAL DIEGUEZ RE-ENTERS GUADALAJARA 

January 20, 1915. 

The city is fairly quiet. Business seems suspended for 
the present — all mercantile houses are yet closed. Groups 
of all classes are visiting different sections of the city today 
to view the dead in the streets, which, while not so numer- 
ous as might have been expected, judging from the amount 
of shooting heard yesterday afternoon and evening, is quite 
enough — some 150 — all yet lying where they were killed, 
and stripped of everything not too badly damaged for use. 
All during the morning hours today column after column of 
troops — principally cavalry — were to be seen moving along 
the streets leading to the various barracks of the city. Gen- 
eral Dieguez, with his rear forces, is expected to enter this 
afternoon. 3 :30 P. M. — The corpse of the soldier who was 
killed in front of the Fenix Hotel last evening, has just been 
removed. General Dieguez entered the city about 5 P. M., 
going immediately to the Palace, from the center balcony of 
which he addressed the people, saying, in substance, that the 
wealthy of this community were to be "diezmado" (meaning 
decimated — tithed out of existence, or reduced to the level 
of the already poor) — that they were the real enemies and 
traitors of the country, etc., etc., and that the Church was to 
be shorn of all its former prestige and wealth — that it had 
already been used too long, in conjunction with the oppres- 
sions of the wealthy classes, to keep the poor native in a 
state of helpless ignorance, and to cheat him out of his God- 
given rights. 

I did not hear the speech myself, but was told that this 
was the substance of it, by several intelligent Mexicans — and 
they expressed great alarm for what might be in store for 
the "gente decente" (middle and upper classes) of the com- 
munity. 



DIEGUEZ' SECOND TERM AT GUADALAJARA 81 



CHAPTER TWELVE 

THE CARRANCISTA REIGN OF TERROR DURING 
DIEGUEZ'S SECOND ADMINISTRATION 

NOTE : I am transposing this chapter's letters as to 
dates, because they treat of the times, and are more related 
to, what is immediately in hand: 

February 2d, 1915. 

More About the Recent Behavior of the Foreign Consular 

Corps. 

I have recently been the recipient of many congratula- 
tions, both from Mexicans and Americans, on account of my 
conduct during the change from the Carrancista to the Vil- 
lista Government here, when several Consular representa- 
tives offered their services to the Citizens' Committee to con- 
duct General Villa into the city. 

General Dieguez is now back and full of ire at the man- 
ner of General Villa's reception. He is wrathy at the prefer- 
ences which were shown for Villa and is putting into effect 
the threats he made against all who manifested same. 

If he had stopped at the persecution of his active ene- 
mies, he might not have been so censurable — but he went 
farther — he went too far. 

He is visiting vengeance upon the heads of every one 
who had worked in any capacity under the Villistas. All em- 
ployees who had served in any of the Government depart- 
ments are marked for execution. Every one who had served 
the municipality of Guadalajara are blacklisted unto death. 
Those who had served in the federal telegraph offices are to 
be persecuted to their graves. Railroad employees who had 



82 DIEUEZ INAUGURATES A REIGN OF TERROR 

aided in running trains for the public are shot wherever 
found. And all suspected private citizens, whether in busi- 
ness of any kind, or in retirement, are to be assassinated. 
The majority of those so banned had served, in their respec- 
tive capacities, under all preceding Governments before that 
of Villa ; and of course as these services were, and had been, 
their several modes of gaining livelihoods, they kept on at 
their work after the Villistas came, not dreaming that they 
were thereby digging their own graves ! To give an account 
of all the hundreds — perhaps thousands — of executions and 
assassinations that are the order of the day — and night — 
would be to draw too harrowing a picture. I will, therefore, 
confine myself in further references to what was commonly 
known as "The Dieguez Reign of Terror." to only mention 
enough cases to sufficiently portray the state of afifairs as 
they really existed. 

February 19th, 1915. 
A Few Well Authenticated Cases of Assassinations of En- 
tirely Innocent People During the Dieguez 
Reign of Terror Here. 

From the time of the retaking of Guadalajara by Gen- 
eral Dieguez, on the 18th of January, to that of his evacua- 
tion, on the 12th of February, not to mention the summary 
executions of a great number of so-called political suspects, 
at least murdered under such pretexts and without the sem- 
blance of trials, there were many innocent people deliberately 
assassinated by the soldiery on most every street of this city, 
which the following very few, but well authenticated cases, 
will exemplify : 

The Case of a Young Lover. — American citizen, S. S. 
Gates, whom I have known as a man of truth and veracity, 
says : "On the night of February 6th, between 9 and 10 



i 



DIEGUEZ REIGN OF TERROR CONTINUES 83 



o'clock, I saw from my window and heard the following : A 
young Mexican gentleman, aged about 18 years, was stand- 
ing on the pavement of Gardin Botanica street, engaged in 
talking to his sweetheart through the grated window of her 
house — a nightly performance which I had observed had 
been going on for some time before — when four soldiers, who 
were standing on the opposite side of the street called to him. 
The young man went over to them at once. They asked him 
the time of the night. He answered them that he did not 
have a watch. At this juncture a Captain came up and asked 
what was going on. I could not hear what the soldiers an- 
swered, but did hear distinctly the Captain say, 'Take him 
in and shoot him !' The young lover fell to his knees and 
begged for his life, saying, among other things, T am only a 
clerk in a store, and I have never had anything to do with 
politics. I come every night from 9 to 10 to see my sweet- 
heart, who lives there (pointing to the house), which I had 
been doing long before you people came to Guadalajara,' etc. 
The Captain grasped him by the collar of his coat; the sol- 
diers prodded him with their bayonets, and he was thus lit- 
erally forced and dragged into a nearby cuartel (barracks) 
and in a few moments I heard the discharge of a volley of 
carbines and felt sure that the young lover had been exe- 
cuted. He has never been seen or heard of since. The next 
morning I went to where this street scene was enacted the 
night before, and could trace the route that the young fellow 
had been dragged over, all the way to the entrance of the 
cuartel, by blood-stains left along the way." I learned from 
investigations afterwards made that what the young fellow 
had told the Captain was true, and besides, that he was a 
semi-invalid. 

The Case of Two Mexican Laborers. — A Mr. Thornton, 
manager of the Guadalajara Packing House — an American 
citizen, whom I personally know to be thoroughly reliable — 



84 CONTINUATION OF DIEGUEZ REIGN OF TERROR 

said: "At a little after 1 P. M., on the 31st of January, after 
some Carrancista soldiers had finished demolishing a house 
not far from the Packery, where some Villistas were sup- 
posed to be, killing all within (22 men, women and children), 
two of my laborers started home for their dinners, going 
across the commons. They had progressed only a short dis- 
tance from the packing house, when the Carrancista soldiers 
fired on them, killing one outright and wounding the other 
so that he fell to the ground. After waiting some time, a 
number of employees ventured out in a body to where the 
victims were. Seeing them, an officer and some soldiers also 
came to the spot. The laborers explained to the soldiers that 
the two men in question had long been regular employees of 
the packing house and had never been known to take part 
in political affairs, and begged that they might remove the 
wounded man to the packery, where they would call a phy- 
sician to dress his wounds. The officer gave them no an- 
swer, but turning to his soldiers said, 'Finish him with a 
"tiro de gracia," whereupon one of the soldiers placed the 
muzzle of a mauser against the forehead of the wounded la- 
borer and blew his brains out." | 
The Case of a Laborer on Hidalgo Street. — A Mexican, 
who was educated in the United States, entirely responsible 
and occupying an important position (but whose name I do 
not give for obvious reasons) relates : "On the 20th of Jan- 
uary, on Hidalgo street, one of the principal streets of Guad- 
alajara, while a laboring man was crossing said street with 
some wood on his shoulder he was accosted by a Carrancista 
soldier who accused him of being a Villista. The laborer an- 
swered that he was not — that he was a working man and 
was trying to make a living for his family, who lived in a 
little house just around the corner. The soldier replied : 
'You look like a Villista anyhow,' and with that raised his 
carbine a\id shot the man to death. I heard and saw it all." 



REIGN OF TERROR CONTINUED 85 

1 could continue to relate similar cases ad infinitum — ad 
nausium — but I have not had the time to procure such wit- 
nesses to others, especially now, while all Mexicans refuse to 
give testimony, even secretly or confidentially. Many inno- 
cent people were killed during actual fighting, during battles 
in this city, both intentionally and accidentally, but the cases 
referred to in this were not of such nature. 

I afterwards learned that the assassination of the young 
lover mentioned above was brought about because his sweet- 
heart had persistently scorned the attentions paid her by the 
officer in question, and that the officer in this manner avenged 
his wounded pride on both the lovers. Was anything ever 
done about it? Oh, no; nothing at all. Neither of the fam- 
ilies of the lovers would have dared to make a complaint, nor 
would anyone else. Had any such attempt been made by a 
Mexican — it would not have mattered what his standing — 
such accuser would have been turned over to a firing platoon, 
marched to the cemetery and shot at the brink of some one 
of the many yawning holes in the ground that had already 
been prepared for bold meddlers in the affairs of these noble 
military emancipators of the poor Mexican people! — their 
palladins of liberty and justice!! 



86 REIGN OF TERROR BECOMES MORE ALARMING 

CHAPTER THIRTEEN 

THE DIEGUEZ REIGN OF TERROR— CONTINUED 

February 2d, 1915. 
The Prevailing Terrible State of Affairs Causes the Consular 
Corps to Intercede. 

I have to say, in further pursuance of the subject of 
former letters, that surface appearances throughout Wednes- 
day, 20th, indicated comparative quiet ; yet I was informed 
that several executions had taken place. It is difficult to as- 
certain the number, for the corpses were to be found in dif- 
ferent parts of the city and some of the victims are said to 
have been marched first to the cemetery for execution. 

I am very reliably informed that on the 20th there was 
a general sacking of the suburban town of San Pedro, three 
miles out, reached by electric car line, and. that sixteen of 
that population of about five thousand were killed, including 
the hanging of one priest. The sacking and killing was done 
by Carranza soldiers. 

I was awake on the night of the 20th-21st, at 2 A. M., for 
half an hour, and I counted as many as 25 rifle shots from 
different parts of the city during the time. On the morning 
of the 21st, I heard of as many as a half dozen corpses found 
on the streets, three in the Alameda (park) and three others 
hanging near the Escuela de Artes (School of Arts), in the 
western part of the city — some respectably dressed, and some 
belonging to the peon elment. 

Governor Dieguez had issued a number of very arbitrary 
edicts — one demanding the immediate delivery of all fire- 
arms to the Commandante Militar, with the penalty of death 
to any one found in the possession of firearms of any kind 



CONDITIONS CAUSE CONSULAR CORPS TO ACT 87 

ten days after date of said edict. If a reign of terror is not 
in existence here, I do not know what the term means. The 
people of all nationalities are completely terrorized. 

For instanc, a body of soldiers visited the residence of 
Carlos Corrothers, present Consulate Clerk, and took a mule 
belonging to him. An American flag was floating above the 
house. Servants told the soldiers that the place, and every- 
thing on it, belonged to an American citizen, at present an 
employee of the American Consulate. The soldiers answered 
that even if it were the house of God Almighty, they would 
not respect it. 

On Thursday, 21st, at noon, I sent invitations to mem- 
bers of the Foreign Consular Corps to meet with me at the 
American Consulate at 4 P. M. My purpose was to ask them 
to go with me in a body to wait on General Dieguez, and tell 
him of the rumors we had heard, as well as the acts of sav- 
agery which were in evidence all about us and inform him 
of our sincere wish that his conduct toward the public might 
be so altered as to enable us to make favorable reports to 
our Governments from thence on. We accordingly addressed 
a joint note to General Dieguez, asking him to appoint a time 
when we could make him a visit of courtesy. General Die- 
guez asked us to call at 11 A. M., Saturday, 23d. The Con- 
sular Corps having arrived at the Palace according to the 
appointment, the usual amenities having been indulged in, 
the conversation presently drifted to the then recent catastro- 
phe wherein seven hundred women and children had been 
killed and three hundred wounded in a railroad accident 
near Zapotlan, I took advantage of the opportunity to have 
my say to General Dieguez, as follows : 

'T have already given my mite for the relief of these un- 
fortunate people, and should further aid be needed, we as- 
sure your Excellency that the foreign colonies here would 
gladly help yet more in this humanitarian work, for we can- 



88 CONSULAR CORPS INTERCEDES WITH DIEGUEZ 

not conceive that such an act would be construed as aiding 
armed forces, even though these victims may have happened 
to be the wives and children of those engaged in armed con- 
flict." 

"One of our own Generals is quoted as having said, 'War 
is heir — and it is. We only have to read the news from 
across the waters now to realize how people of an admittedly 
most advanced and cultivated nation may overnight, as it 
were, be converted into so many savages. Though we do 
not hold that inhumanities practiced by any nation is an 
excuse for the display of similar traits in another, we make 
this reference because we do not wish your Excellency to 
feel that we are singling out Mexico, or pointing the finger 
of accusation at you alone, when we say to you that the for- 
eign and Mexican population of this community stand not 
only intimidated, but appalled at the acts of yourself and sub- 
ordinates that are in evidenc about us, and from rumors that 
have reached us promise to become more startling. We as- 
sure you, Sir, that whether you agree with us or not as to 
whether such evidence as we have seen on every hand here- 
abouts is sufficint to justify us in declaring that a reign of 
terror actually exists here, that both the native and foreign 
population are alike terrorized at being compelled to be wit- 
nesses of such nightly and daily — I might say hourly — do- 
ings. 

"Non-combatant civilians are being shot down in the 
street, or marched to the Penitentiary, to one of the munici- 
pal barracks or to the cemetery and executed without even 
the pretense of trials! We assure your Excellency that in 
speaking to you in this manner we do it not only in the in- 
terest of these people, but also for the sake of your own repu- 
tation and that of the revolutionary party which you repre- 
sent. The time has passed in the history of the world when 
any man or party may hope to achieve success through any 



AUTHOR'S DISCOURSE BEFORE GENERAL DIEGUEZ 89 

such practices. Moreover, from the utterances of President 
Wilson since the delivery of his inaugural address to the 
present time, no party in Mexico, or of any other country 
may hope for friendly recognition from the Washington 
Government by gaining power over their fellows by any 
such proceedings ; and we think your Excellency will agree 
that the late so-called Huerta regime furnished an object 
lesson showing the utter futility of trying to set up a Gov- 
ernment in Mexico by means which would cause the Wash- 
ington Government to decline to recognize it. 

"Religious persecutions have never, in all the world's 
history, gained any advantage to those responsible for them; 
and the arbitrary persecutions of individuals, whether in the 
spirit of revenge or merely to eliimnate them as factors in 
the body politic has proved quite as barren of favorable re- 
sults to the perpetrators thereof. We assure your Excellency 
that it is the wish of the members of the Foreign Consular 
Corps here that you so change your conduct toward the pub- 
lic from now henceforward, that they may be enabled to 
make favorable reports to their respective Governments of 
your administration, instead of condemnatory, which they 
have found themselves compelled to do in the past." 

I remained with Governor Dieguez a few moments after 
the other Consular representatives had withdrawn, to person- 
ally arrange that I might, at any time, have immediate access 
to any of the principal local authorities. 

On reaching the street and rejoining the Consular Corps 
I was congratulated by them for the manner in which I had 
presented matters to Governor Dieguez, and several of them 
afterwards made calls at the Consulate to emphasize their 
respective appreciations. I later received letters from the 
British and Italian Vice Consuls, reading as follows: "Sir: 
Referring to the interview accorded by the Governor and 
Military Commander of the State of Jalisco to the American, 



90 THE AUTHOR THANKED BY OTHER CONSULS 

French, Italian, Norwegian, Swedish, German and British 
Consular officers on Saturday, the 23d instant, I feel it in- 
cumbent upon me, as British Vice Consul, to offer you my 
sincere thanks for the very earnest and plainly spoken man- 
ner in which you informed the Governor of our cognizance, 
as a Conscular Corps, of the sentiment of terror which has 
been created by his actions; and the hope you expressed to 
him that he should moderate these actions has my most 
hearty endorsement. It is obvious that the total disregard 
of the rights of decent citizens of this city — the threats made 
them — and the fomenting of hatred against all middle class 
and upper class Mexicans who are insulted and persecuted 
by the soldiery must, sooner or later, if not checked, become 
more dangerous for the respectable people of the foreign col- 
onies. Your well-timed and manly effort to stem this spirit 
of anarchism is deeply appreciated by the Britsih colony in 
this city, who are well aware of the difficulty and danger in- 
curred by you in -treating with a form of Government which 
is countenancing anarchy and violence." (Signed) P. G. 
Holmes, British Vice Consul. 

The letter of the Italian Consul, which expresses about 
the same sentiments as that of the British Consul, was in 
Spanish, and we will so give it : 

"Senor Vice Consul : Le doy las gracias por haber tenido 
la iniciativa de que los Sefiores representantes de los na- 
ciones estranjeras, fueramos a hacer una visita de cortesia al 
C. Governador del estado, Senor Manuel Dieguez, y lo mismo 
que, de una manera fina y delicada, manifesto Vd. a este 
funcionario, la alarma que existia en esta Capital, encar- 
iciendole se sirviera dar las garantias que le fuera posible, 
tanto a las colonias estranjeras, como a la sociedad entera de 
Guadalajara. 

Por tanta elevada y noble idea, le hago presente mi re- 
conocimiento, protestandole mi distiguida consideracion, y 



GOOD RESULTS OBTAINED BY INTERCESSION 91 

aprecio." (Signed) Jose Roileri, el R. Agente Consular 
d'ltalia. 

News of this conference spread over the city with great 
rapidity, even reaching the political prisoners detained in the 
Penitentiary, and we were soon overwhelmed with congratu- 
lations from foreigners and natives alike. And truly, from 
thence up to the attack of the Villistas the following 30th, 
wonderful changes for the better were discernable on every 
side. During that week a number of political prisoners, after 
having gained their liberty, came to embrace and thank me. 
Although I explained to them how it was that I could not 
take up their cases individually, they nevertheless seemed to 
believe that the intercessions of the Consular Corps had saved 
their lives. 

General Dieguez received the Consular Corps with thor- 
ough courtesy, and seemed to appreciate that the remarks 
were made in a spirit of friendly counsel. He said he hoped 
we would understand his real purposes — that he had curbed 
the Church already as much as he thought would be neces- 
sary, and hoped hereafter to be able to treat his enemies with 
more leniency than in the past; and that it was his desire to 
furnish thorough protection to all classes. 

The conditions referred to in my remarks to General Die- 
guez could not very easily have been exaggerated — they were 
horrifying — and were more than sufficient to stir one to try, 
with all his might to ameliorate the sufferings of these 
people. Many felt that we were staking our own lives in 
the undertaking; but I could not feel so — I only felt that the 
innocent blood that was being spilled in that community was 
crying out to us day and night; we believed we could suc- 
cessfully stem the tide of the then reign of terror — duty was 
calling aloud, in the name of humanity. The results were 
such that every member of the company who called on Gen- 
eral Dieguez on that occasion might well feel proud of. My 



92 GOOD RESULTS OBTAINED BY INTERCESSION 

address to General Dieguez was the nearest approach to 
overstepping the bounds of my Consular functions in all my 
many relations with the numerous governments with which 
I had to deal in Mexico. Instead of flying into a passion, 
General Dieguez seemed favorably impressed at the time ; 
and certainly afterwards kept his administration reasonably 
free — as free as any Mexican could have been expected to 
do — of the excesses which had been the cause of the appeal 
to him by the Consular Corps. 



VILLISTAS' SURPRISE ATTACK ON GUADALAJARA 93 



CHAPTER FOURTEEN 

SOME RATHER EXCITING EPISODES WHICH OC- 
CURRED DURING GENERAL DIEGUEZ'S 
SECOND TERM AT GUADALAJARA 

February 2d, 1915. 
Unsuccessful Attempt of the Villistas to Retake Guadalajara 
On January 30th, 1915. 

I was awakened at 5 A. M. on the morning of the 30th of 
January, and at first thought that the discharges which I 
heard were being made by the explosions of fireworks from the 
roofs of the various churches of the city — a thing formerly 
not very uncommon in the early morning hours — but when 
I began to note the reports of rapid-fire guns and musketry 
within a half block of my hotel, on either side, I was sure 
that a hotly contested battle was in full progress. About 
this time, the guests of the hotel — men, women and chil- 
dren — began pouring into my room — all in sleeping apparel, 
and in as complete a state of terror as could be imagined, 
each pleading, as in one voice, "Socorro! — amparo!" (suc- 
cor — protection) . 

I advised the manager of the hotel to keep all doors closed 
and to have every one come up to the fifth floor, where, if 
they would keep away from doors, windows and balconies, 
they would be comparatively safe from flying bullets. We 
could not tell at the time what was happening, except that a 
battle was in progress ; it all came so suddenly. Some thought 
it was caused by a mutiny among the Dieguez troops. It 
did not seem reasonable, in times of war, that the enemy 
could have entered in such large bodies — as was evidenced by 
the amount of shooting that was going on — and have so thor- 



94 BATTLE RAGES IN STREETS FOR THREE HOURS 

oughly distributed themselves over the city unawares to the 
army of occupation until combined attacks were made at one 
and the same time on the Palace and all of the many army 
barracks. 

The only war cries that could be made out were about 
such as I had imagined a Comanche Indian would make in 
battle. After about two hours of active fighting, during 
which time an incessant rattle of musketry and gatling guns 
could be heard as coming from every district of the city, the 
Villistas began to lose ground, and by 8 :30 had been driven 
beyond the city limits. Cannon fire succeeded, and continued 
at intervals until about 1 :30 P. M. 

At 8 o'clock — when the line of battle seemed to be reced- 
ing towards the outskirts of the town, a Carranza Captain 
with a guard of soldiers entered the Hotel Fenix to make 
search, as (he said,) General Dieguez thought he had seen 
people firing from the roof of the hotel building during part 
of the engagement. But such was not the case, and the search 
was fruitless. This Captain, with whom I was acquainted, 
told me that the Villistas had done a great deal of shooting 
from the roofs of buildings, that two of his own soldiers had 
been killed by shots fired from a building across the street 
from the hotel, and that many arrests of the owners of such 
buildings would be made. 

A naturalized American of German birth, Bejamin 
Schuster, owner of a carbonated water factory on the East 
side of the city, came to the Consulate that morning in a state 
of great alarm, saying he was being hunted by soldiers, be- 
cause the Villistas had been seen firing from the roof of his 
factory. I went to the Commandancia, and told the Com- 
mandante that no one slept in the factory, and that the pro- 
prietor was ready and willing to have the building inspected 
and searched, but that he did not want to be arrested. The 



FRENCH VICE CONSUL THREATENED 95 

Commandante gave me a "salva conducto" for Mr. Schuster, 
which prevented his being further molested. 

Such other acts and incidents occurring before, during 
and after the battle that I may think worthy of reporting, 
and that I may be able to have confirmed — will be included 
in future letters. 

It is natural that a person should feel a little vain, when 
so many fly to him for protection while in dire distress, but 
his puff-ball of vanity will readily develop its collapsible 
property when one feels entirely helpless, his own self, and 
this was the way the writer felt when those frightened peo- 
pl about the hotel, proprietors, servants and guests clamored 
about him while the noise of the battle was going on. They 
had strayed to their rooms, but when the officer and soldiers 
came in to search for Villa sympathizers, back they all came 
praying that I speak for them to the officer! It did not afifect 
me in the sense of tickling my pride, I felt profoundly sorry 
for those hotel people. I couldn't help comparing the situa- 
tion as it impressed itself upon my mind to a flock of sheep 
beseiged in their fold by a pack of snarling wolves thirsty for 
their blood, with nobody at hand to protect them. 

February 3d, 1915. 
Arrest and Threatened Execution of French Vice Consul 
Eugene Pinzon 

I am herewith transmitting copy of a joint statement 
of the foreign Consular Corps here, referring to the above 
subject, and will sum up the case in brief as follows : On the 
morning of the 13th of January, the Commandante of this 
plaza, General Pablo Quiroga, had Mr. Pinzon arrested, claim- 
ing that he, the Commandante, had overheard Mr. Pinzon 
conversing by telephone with a well known Villista Captain 
from San Pedro, a near-by town, by the name of Mariano 
Schiaffino. The facts as I found after going into the case, 



96 UNITED STATES VICE CONSUL INTERVENES 

were these : The chief electrical engineer of the Street Car 
Company of which Mr. Pinzon is manager, is named Mari- 
ano Schiaffino also, and lives on Hidalgo street, this city. 
Mr. Pinzon had telephoned his engineer to have the lines re- 
paired, which had been injured during the battle of that morn- 
ing, and after which he asked engineer Schiaffino that if 
he could get in communication with the Garrita at San Pedro, 
to order some chickens sent to his house from a hennery 
which Pinzon owned out there, in charge of Eugenio Tos- 
cano. This engineer Schiafhno did. Commandante Quiroga £ 
overhearing parts of the conversation, and confusing the two 
Schiaffinos, ordered Mr. Pinzon's arrest. When Mr. Pinzon's 
friends, among them French merchants representing millions 
of dollars — called on me to ask my intervention in Mr. Pin- 
zon's behalf, at 1 :15 P. M., that day, and I had learned these 
facts — I had them send a runner to the house of engineer Schi- ^ 
affino, and with him I went to see Commandante Quiroga. I 
explained to the Commandante that my Government had 
charged me with the care of the interests of all foreigners 
whose respective Governments did not have official represen- 
tation here, and that as I construed it, it was now incumbent 
upon me to act for the French, as the Consul of that country 
was on account of his "incommunicado" incarceration, not 
in a position to serve, at least during the time of such im- 
prisonment. Mr. Pinzon was put at liberty at 1 :55. The only 
grounds on which I could account for why those splendid 
French business men had failed to utilize the evidence of 
engineer Schiaffino, was that they felt so terrorized, their 
thinking faculties must have been paralyzed for the time. 

The foregoing seems to me of double importance : first, 
the arrest, and impending execution, without process of trial 
— of a foreign Consular ofificer! second, as an illustration of 
how innocent people were being executed on mere suspicion. 

When at the Commandancia in behalf of American citizen 



UNITED STATES VICE CONSUL INTERVENES 97 

Schuster that morning, I observed Mr, Pinzon standing in 
front of the Commandante's desk, but supposing he was only 
there on something of a like mission as myself, I merely salut- 
ed him ; and did not learn that he was actually under arrest 
until, on leaving the Palace, I met a number of his country- 
men, who gave me the information. Having my own hands 
full with the affairs of American citizens at the time, 1 told 
them that in the event they might think my services could 
be of any avail, to let me know, and continued on my way. 
These gentlemen did not call on me until 1 :15 P.*M., as stated 
above, when they informed me that they had just came from 
an interview with General Dieguez, to whom they had ap- 
pealed, and that this functionary told them that he was going 
to have Pinzon shot ! I was equally surprised when these 
gentlemen told me, after being questioned, that they had not 
thought of trying to bring engineer Schiaffino before the au- 
thorities. Said Schiaffino had remained in-doors all the morn- 
ing — as most civilians had done — and when the messengers 
whom we dispatched for him told him what we wanted, he 
seemed very much afraid to leave his residence ; but was 
finally persuaded to accompany them. I went at once with 
this witness before General Quiroga, whose naturally brut- 
ish nature would not permit him to receive us in manner 
that I could describe, as "he received us politely." One might 
as well have expected to gather roses and violets from thistles. 
Observing that engineer Schiaffino was very much frightened 
at the prospect of having to face this beastly murderer, I 
endeavored to brace him up before reaching General Quiroga, 
and I verily believe that his courage would have failed him 
entirely, had I not been in possession of the particulars re- 
garding the confusion of persons of the same name, which 
enabled me to extract his testimony by questioning him my- 
self, in the presence of General Quiroga. Though General 
Quiroga could not help being convinced of the innocence of 



98 FRENCH VICE CONSUL PUT AT LIBERTY 

Vice Consul Pinzon, as well as that he, Quiroga, had most 
awkwardly blundered, I thought I could detect that he felt 
sorry at the prospect of Mr. Pinzon's escape from execution, 
for he viciously hated Pinzon. 

He informed us that Mr. Pinzon was at General Dieguez* 
private prison — if yet alive — and that we would have to see 
General Dieguez himself. When the French merchants, with 
the witness Schiaffino, arrived at General Dieguez' residence, 
they were told that Vice Consul Pinzon had just then been 
set at liberty. General Quiroga had reached General Dieguez 
by telephone, sooner than the Frenchmen could arrive afoot ! 



EFFORT TO DEPRIVE FOREIGNERS OF FIREARMS 99 



CHAPTER FIFTEEN 

THE SECOND TERM O FTHE DIEGUEZ ADMINISTRA- 
TION COMES TO AN END : AN ACCOUNT OF ONE 
OF THE WRITER'S PERSONAL ADVENTURES 

Confiscation of Fire-Arms and Ammunition of Foreigners 
by the Carrancistas 

In a former letter I incidently mentioned the edict of 
Governor Dieguez on the above subject. I wrote to General 
Dieguez asking him if said edict was meant to apply to for- 
eigners. His answer was, that on account of the exigencies 
of military necessities, foreigners and natives would be alike 
included. Afterwards, Commandante Quiroga invited the Con- 
sular Corps to meet him on Saturday at noon, 6th. At this 
meeting, the Consular Corps was told that all foreigners 
would be required to deposit their arms and ammunitions in 
their respective Consulates and each Consul was requested 
to furnish General Quiroga with lists of all arms, etc., so de- 
posited. This was complied with, and on Monday evening, 
8th, Commandante Quiroga sent an officer, with armed sol- 
diers, to demand of the various Consuls, the delivery of all 
arms and ammunitions deposited in their respective Consul- 
ates. No Consul resisted, except British Vice Consul Holmes 
who was threatened with execution first by the minor officers, 
and then by Commandante Quiroga himself if he did not com- 
ply with the demand. A similar call was made on me the 
same evening. I advised the officer to hunt up the Consulate 
messenger for the keys if he wanted to get into the Consulate 
at such hours — that I did not know where the messenger 
stayed — and that if he could not do that he would have to 
come back the next day. Remembering the Department's 



100 EFFORT TO DEPRIVE FOREIGNERS OF FIREARMS 

message authorizing me to close the Consulate and seek a 
place of safety at any time that in my judgment I might feel 
myself in danger, and knowing from many indications that the 
Dieguistas were preparing to evacuate the city before the 
advance of the Villistas — I closed the Consulate, gave the 
employees a vacation and went to visit a friend in the mean- 
time ; not returning until the Carrancistas had left, which 
was on the 18th. Thus I did not have further occasion to 
meet any of the Dieguista officers or soldiers during the time 
of their efforts to secure the arms and ammunition stored 
in the American Consulate ! 

Result : — The American Consulate was the only one which 
did not give up its stored arms and ammunition. After leav- 
ing the Commandancia on the morning of our visit to General 
Quiroga, I remarked to the Consular Corps that I did not 
think we would have any trouble over the question of the 
arms that were to be stored in the Consulates unless the Car- 
rancistas should have to evacuate, and that I for one did not 
propose to be used as an agent to collect arms and ammunition 
from my countrymen to aid any armed faction. Subsequent 
developments proved this forecast to have been correct, both 
as to the demand made for the arms and my non-compliance 
with same. All the other Consuls gave up on demand, all the 
arms deposited with them except British Consul Holmes. 
How many arms were so collected I never learned, but from 
the French Consulate alone, I was informed that the num- 
ber of rifles taken was more than eighty, with ammunition to 
correspond. There was something of a like number stored in 
the American Consulate. 

At 8:30, on the evening of the 8th, while I was playing 
a game of chess in the hotel lobby, the manager of the hotel 
touched me on the shoulder to attract my attention, and in- 
formed me that a gentleman was waiting to see me, indicat- 
ing toward a Captain standing near the desk. On arising and 



DEMANDS ARE MADE ON AUTHOR FOR FIREARMS 101 

looking about, I saw that I had been surrounded by four arm- 
ed soldiers while absorbed in the game. I approached the 
Captain and asked his business. When we had understood 
each other as has already been told, I began a rapid-fire of 
questionings in rather fault-finding tones of voice, until I had 
the young fellow stuttering in his efforts to explain why he 
called at such an unseemly hour. There is nothing like "beat- 
ing them to it," as the saying goes. I knew this Captain was 
a common, ignorant fellow, and while I acted courteously 
toward him, he went away knowing that there was a vast dif- 
ference between my own and General Quiroga's conception 
of some things, and that calling on an American Consular 
officer at that time of night to have arms and ammunition de- 
livered up was one of them. The Captain spoke of return- 
ing at 8 o'clock the next morning. I answered no, that I ex- 
pected to be occupied with a very important matter until 11 
o'clock, and that it would be of no use to call at the consulate 
earlier than that. I kept up the bold front that I had as- 
sumed until the Captain bowed himself out— and then I re- 
turned to my game of chess. Just as I was about retrieving 
my Queen from a very dangerous position on the board, the 
game was again interrupted by the arrival of British Vice 
Consul Holmes, who seemed very much excited. Mr. Holmes 
related to me that a similar call had been made on him— that 
he had had all his arms stored in a separate room, across the 
door of which he had placed the British Consular seal— that 
he had refused to open the door, but told the officer that if 
he, the officer, wanted to assume the responsibility of break- 
ing in, he could do so— that he was thereupon threatened by 
the officer and ordered to remove the seals— that he again 
refused— that the officer became more threatening— Holmes 
continued to refuse— the officer left, to ask further instruc- 
tions from General Quiroga, etc., etc. 

The next morning when the messenger boy came to my 



102 HOW AUTHOR AVOIDED DELIVERING UP ARMS 

room for the keys to the Consulate— which had been his daily 
custom — I told him that I did not want him to open the Con- 
sulate that morning, but to go over and loiter about the build- 
ing until the arrival of Clerk Corrothers, and then for them 
both to come to me. When Mr. Corrothers arrived I directed 
him to go to the Consulate, to impress the Consular seal amply 
on good, stout paper, to close both doors, and paste the pre- 
pared seals on their outsides so that the doors could not be 
opened without breaking the seals, and then for him and the 
messenger to come back to the hotel. These directions hav- 
ing been fulfilled, myself and stafif retired to the roof of the 
building. I was sure that we could depend upon the fidelity 
of the hotel people— from the manager to the kitchen skullion, 
for they all thoroughly detested the Carrancistas and very 
well knew what we were about. They were "with us." From 
time to time during the day I sent the Clerk, or Messenger, 
to telephone to the British Consulate and elsewhere, by which 
means we kept posted as to the progress of affairs. The Car- 
rancistas had all entrained by that morning ,but had not left 
the City. The approach of the Villistas had been delayed 
on account of burned bridges. The Carrancistas seemed loth 
to quit Guadalajara — or they wanted more time to loot. The 
British Consul telephoned to me that he was still holding out, 
but had been threatened with death if he did not comply with 
General Quiroga's orders. 

Officers and soldiers made six different visits to my room 
that day. When they would ask at each visit, where the Am- 
erican Consul was, the interrogated employees invariably 

answered, "quien sabe?— salio en la manana." Who knows 

he went out this morning.) No sooner would the officers leave 
the hotel after each visit, than the employees would come up 
in troops to tell us all about it. We were very comfortably 
situated, for the roof of this hotel (as with Mexican buildings 
in general) was fiat, and was utilized for many purposes, be- 



MILITARY VISIT AUTHOR'S PRIVATE ROOM 103 

sides that to which we were just then putting it. Easy chairs 
had been sent up to us, as was everything else we might have 
needed for our comfort and well-being, including meals. 

At 5:30 P. M., one of the elevator boys came up in great 
excitement, saying that the British Consul wanted to talk to 
me at once — that the call was very urgent ! I dismissed Clerk 
Corrothers then, telling him he had best go home to his 
family and told the Messenger boy, (a Mexican whom I did 
not think any of the officers or soldiers would recognize as 
being an employee of the Consulate,) to loiter about the out- 
side of the hotel awhile longer, and where, and when to report 
to me later, and I went to answer Mr. Holmes' telephone 
call. I could tell from Mr. Holmes' voice that he was laboring 
under great excitement. What he said, in rapid succession, 
was about as follows: "Matters are getting very serious— 
I am threatened with summary execution if I do not deliver 
up these arms— you are playing them just right — only, as you 
know, the British Consulate is in my private house, and I am 
thus differently situated — keep out of the way of those devils 
— they are getting furious — I do not think I will be able to 
hold them off longer than their next visit— they have just left 
here — they are coming now after you again, etc., etc., they are 
in automobiles, and will not be long in getting there, keep out 
of their way if you can." I did not say anything to any one 
about the hotel, but I walked across Lopez Cottillo street, to 
the corner of San Francisco and went thence in a northerly 
direction. I had not gone farther than a half block from the 
corner when I heard machines coming from the South on San 
Francisco, swish around the corner of Lopez Cotillo and I 
felt sure they were the same whom Mr. Holmes had just fin- 
ished warning me about, but I did not turn around to see! 
The messenger on coming to me that night, related that at 
that visit, the sixth for the day, the principle officer seemed 
very wrathful at not having been able to find me, and from 



104 ARMY FAILS TO SECURE ARMS 

the sidewalk in front of the hotel, just before re-entering 
his machine, he declared aloud that if he did not find me 
by 8 o'clock that evening he would burn down the doors 
of the Consulate and get those arm.s ! 

That did not frighten me at all. I could not help being 
reminded of the reply of Henry VIII, to a menacing threat, 
in effect that if he did not do so-and-so, every soldier he had 
over in Ireland would be killed! m 

Although the departure of the Carrancistas from the 
city was long delayed they went away without getting as 
much as one cartridge from the American Consulate. Mr. 
Holmes subsequently told me that after having to go in 
person before General Quiroga, he compromised by giving 
up only a part of the arms stored in the British Consulate. 

When the Villistas came in. General Delgado, who was 
Villa's Commandante, also began "nibbling" at the arms 
stored 'in the Consulate. I then wrote out a "salva con- 
ducto," (a term used to mean a passport as well as other 
kinds of guarantees, or protection,) for myself, including 
full exemptions of such arms and ammunitions as were 
stored in the Consulate and sent Clerk Corrothers out to 
General Villa's private train for his signature to same. He 
signed it. I was reliably informed that General Villa could 
not read, but had, after becoming "prominent," leatned to 
scrawl his autograph. And as soon as the Carrancistas re- 
turned again, I secured a similar "salva conducto" from 
Dieguez. I was getting tired of being bothered about those 
arms and this was my way of finally and forever putting a 
stop to the controversy over them. 

Neither faction ever procured any arms from the Am- 
erican Consulate ! 

But Commandante Quiroga never seemed to care for 
me after that! Somehow, I felt that he entertained a 
grudge against me, for both having euchered him out of 



A PERSONAL ADVENTURE OF THE AUTHOR'S 105 

those arms, and the pleasure of feasting his blood-thirsty 
appetite when in the act of having Sefior Pinzon, French 
Vice Consul executed, whom he so heartily detested. 

But I will say the best thing I can in Quiroga's favor, 
and that is, I do not remember of having heard as bad things 
about him as of one of Villa's generals by the name of Fier- 
ros, of whom it is current in Mexico, that on one occasion, 
after the surrender of thirty Carranza soldiers — mostly boys 
— he personally killed all of them, thus : having had a basket 
full of pistols loaded, he had the prisoners come up in front 
of him and kneel when he put the muzzle of his pistol to 
the forehead of one after another and shot them — in the 
order as their names were called. 

"Can you beat it?" No, and I question if Quiroga has, 
so far. 

After leaving the Hotel Fenix as already related, I 
went for that night to the Hotel Aleman, (German Hotel,) 
and the Consulate messenger having come to me there as 
per appointment, I had him sleep in my room, fearing that 
in searching for me, some one might find him, and compel 
him to tell of my whereabouts. No one except Mrs. 
Schroeder, the proprietress, and her daughter, Louise, 
knew of my being in this hotel. I kept to my room, where 
my meals were brought to me after all others had been 
served, and the way was clear. Miss Louise served my 
meals and also secretly conducted the messenger to my 
room on his arrival, all of which had been prearranged". 
After retiring for the night it began to develop that the 
messenger boy felt very uneasy about his personal safety. 
He remarked more than once that if the Carranza soldiers 
should find us they would shoot him down without any 
ceremony at all. I tried to brace him up by telling him 
that I would protect him, but he answered that he knew I 
would not be able to do so, that he was a Mexican, that 



106 AUTHOR FINDS MEXICAN FRIEND IN HIDING 

they might not harm me, because I was American Consul, 
but as to himself, they would not show him any mercy — 
they would shoot him "lo mismo como se matan los perros." 
(The same as killing a dog.) Poor fellow ! he could not 
help it, he had seen so much of such performances ! I de- 
termined that I must get rid of him, not that night, but the 
next morning. So waiting until he had gone to sleep, which 
I could tell from hearing him snore, I got out of bed, and 
carefully locked the only door of escape, and secreted the 
key. I did not want him to escape from me that night — 
I had no notion of separating from him while he was aware 
of my whereabouts, for if he had been found he would 
have been forced to betray me. So after breakfast the next 
morning I told him I was going out, probably not to come 
back and for him to remain in the room fifteen minutes, 
and if I had not returned by then he could go hence — to 
resume his former labor, to make all the money he could 
for himself, that in the meantime his regular pay in my 
service would be kept up — and that when I should want 
him again, I would send for him. 

I sauntered away from the hotel, nor did I tell my 
friends, the Schroeders, where I was going — only mention- 
ing that I might retire to some country village. When I 
reached friend Earnest's house, I found in hiding there also, 
(he had been there ever since the Carrancistas had entered 
in December), a Mexican, by the name of Ricardo Mendoza. 

"Dick," as the Americans familiarly called^ him, had 
been educated in the States, and his beautiful wife was a 
pure American lady. Said Mendoza had been for a long 
time previous, superintendent of the Guadalajara division 
of the Mexican National Railroad, and on the approach 
of the Carrancistas, had taken refuge in the home of Mr. 
A. E. Earnest. It was in obedience to directions given by 
this same Richard Mendoza, that the operating crews of 



MORE ABOUT OUR MEXICAN FRIEND IN HIDING 107 

the trains carrying Americans to Manzanillo in April, 1914, 
managed to get us all through without harm from the num- 
erous Mexican mobs which had gathered along our route. 
Of course he had friends among the Americans, all of whom 
would have been glad to protect him in any way that they 
could! We were both waiting for the Carrancistas to 
leave — he, in fear of losing his life, and the writer, to carry 
out his resolution of not delivering the arms and ammuni- 
tion stored in the American Consulate to them— and to 
avoid having his risibles titillated with the bayonets of a 
lot of ignorant savages, as had happened to the British Vice 
Consul. I was not afraid that any one would order me to 
be shot, yet who could tell but some fellow's gun might go 
off accidentally! 

Senor Dick was good company while I was sojourning 
at friend Earnest's. He could distinguish the whistle of 
every engine in the railroad yards. Day or night Dick 
would say number so-and-so is going out, coming in, or 
switching, as the case happened to be. He was listening 
all the while to hear the Carrancistas go out ; they were 
very slow in leaving after entraining — it seemed a dreadful 
long time to both of us. Dick had not seen wife and chil- 
dren for a long time, and they did not know where he was, 
only they had been assured by some good angel that he was 
"in the hands of his friends," and I had come away from 
my hotel without a change of clothes, and it would never 
have done to send back for more 1 But about 9 :30 Saturday 
morning, 13th, he said, "I believe they are getting ready to 
pull out!" and in a little while, "yes, they are going!" — 
he could hardly contain himself — and after a little longer 
wait, "they are gone!" and then he began capering about the 
room, performing all kinds of "monkey-shines," and slap- 
ping me on the back so forcefully that I could not help 
dodging when I would see him coming toward me. Both 



108 CONCLUSION OF THE AUTHOR'S ADVENTURE 

he and I emerged from our hiding at once — and it was on 
the afternoon of that day that the Villistas returned to 
town. 

The morning after my "mysterious disappearance" all 
sorts of rumors were afloat as to what had become of the 
American Consul. Some had me in the Penitentiary, 
(which seemed to be my favorite resort, by report), some 
had me murdered while I was trying to make my escape — one 
of the most popular methods of disposing of one — equally 
indulged in by all the revolutionary factions. 

The members of the Consular Corps, or what was left 
of them, went to the American club in a body, to offer any 
assistance within their power! All this Mr. Earnest told 
me at noon, when he had come in for lunch. I wrote out 
a "To Whom it May Concern" statement, to be put on the 
bulletin board of the club, to the effect that I had voluntar- 
ily absented myself from the Consulate for a short time, 
and that meanwhile the British Vice Consul would look af- 
ter American interests, etc., etc. I wanted to put a check 
on these sensational reports, fearing that some hoo-do yarn 
might reach the Department of State, and maybe get into 
the newspapers. I knew that I was very well protected 
against either of these calamities until the Villistas might 
come in, for there were no means of telegraphing until they 
should reopen communication. 

You may think that the foregoing is a very long ac- 
count of a very insignificant matter, and it may be, and so 
do large trees from little acorns grow. If one should not 
be able to gather more from it than the mere matter of my 
adventure, I should regret both the trouble of its telling 
on my part, and that of its perusal, on the part of the reader. 



i 



THE CASE OF AN ARMENIAN SUSPECT 109 



CHAPTER SIXTEEN. 

GIVEN AS AN APPENDIX TO THE SECOND TERM 
OF THE DIEGUEZ ADMINISTRATION 

NOTE : The later date of the following letter explains 
itself, and as the subjects therein treated pertain to the 
Dieguez Second Term as per dates stated in the body of the 
letter — we append it here : 

June 19, 1915. 
Some Miscellaneous Observations not Mentioned in Former 
Letters, All Bearing on the Situation Here 

In making up my former reports on the politicio- 
economic situations here, I have endeavored as briefly as 
possible to give as faithful pen-pictures, from time to 
time, as the semi-kalidioscopic subject would admit of, but 
for the sake of brevity, I omitted many things of interest, 
some of which it will be the purpose of this to relate, and 
although at the risk of having to use the personal pronoun 
"I" beyond the limits of good taste, I nevertheless feel that 
these episodes should not forever be ignored, but should 
be made a part of my reports, to better round out a not al- 
together uninteresting experience. 

The Case of a Young Armenian, — It was on Saturday, 
January 23d, at 6:30 P. M., when two Armenian merchant 
peddlers came to me while I was seated in the rotunda of 
the Fenix Hotel and engaged in a conversation with Brit- 
ish Vice Consul, Mr. Holmes, and a countryman of his. The 
Armenians told me that their partner, a man by the name 
of George, had just been arrested on the charge of having 
been a Villista Captain, and begged my intervention in his 
behalf. As it was beginning to grow dark, and not wishing 
to expose myself to a possible plot to inveigle me to the 



110 THE CASE OF THE YOUNG ARMENIAN (Continued) 

Consulate at such an hour by persons unknown to me, (one 
could not exercise too much care in those days) I asked the 
two English gentlemen with whom I had been conversing 
to accompany me, which they readily did. Arriving at the 
Consulate, I wrote Governor Dieguez a letter, letting him 
know that I was cognizant of the arrest of Mr. George, and 
asking him to please give the young fellow a fair hearing 
before deciding adversely in his case, which I felt would be 
sufficient to stay any summary execution of the prisoner, 
which at that time was the order of the day. 

On Monday morning, 25th, I visited Governor Dieguez 
at his private residence, and among other matters, I took up 
the case of the young Armenian with him. General Dieguez 
told me that there could be no doubt of the prisoner's guilt, 
as the three witnesses that he, the prisoner, had asked 
should be summoned in his behalf, ?.ll swore that they had 
known him to have been a Villista Captain. I expressed 
to Governor Dieguez that I could scarcely believe the pris- 
oner was guilty, that perhaps his witnesses might have felt 
intimidated — that I knew it was not the custom of Ar- 
menians to occupy themselves with political matters in 
countries to which they emigrated — that they usually 
sought homes in foreign lands to ply their callings, which 
were generally of commercial natures — that as a rule, they 
were peaceful, and law-abiding — and that above all, in this 
case, and that which appealed to me most strongly in the 
the prisoner's favor was the apparent sincerity with which 
the young fellow's partners in trade had manifested their 
ability to prove an alibi. They had told me that George 
was their purchasing partner — that the bills for all goods 
bought had been made out in his name, and that if allowed 
a week or ten days time they could produce them, all the 
way from Mexico City, to Guadalajara, with their respect- 
ive dates, which would show that young George was else- 
where than in and about Guadalajara at the times it was 



THE CASE OF THREE' RAILROAD AUDITORS 111 

claimed that he was serving in the Villa army. All this I 
recounted to General Dieguez, and incidentally mentioned 
that on account of the absence of means of communication 
with Mexico and intermediate points it would be impossible 
for these partners to secure from the different merchants 
in these places business stationery to forge the evidence on. 

General Dieguez acceded all the time that might be 
necessary, and at the end of eight days the two partners 
returned to me with their commercial documents. This 
was atout 6:30 P. M., but this time I returned with them 
to the Consulate alone, and wrote Governor Dieguez an- 
other letter, enclosing with same the said documentary 
evidence. The next morning at 9 :30 all three of the Ar- 
menian merchants came to the Consulate to thank me for 
my interventions in their behalf, and of young George es- 
pecially. Young George was a handsome fellow of an in- 
telligent and honest appearance. They all seemed over- 
come with sentiments of gratitude, and when informed that 
they owed to the Washington Government everything 
which had been done for them, they asked me what was 
the direction to Washington, and when I indicated same, 
all three of them made salams, and efxtended their arms 
in that direction for a moment, while articulating some- 
thing in semi-whispers, which I could not understand. Af- 
ter each of them had shaken me by the hand very heartily, 
they departed. I have not heard of them since, but feel 
sure they will ever feel profoundly grateful to the Gov- 
ernment that afforded them vicarious protection while they 
were in a foreign country, and in sore need. 

The Case of Three Railroad Auditors 

At 2 -.30 P. M., Thursday, January 26th, just as I was 
preparing to leave my room for the Consulate, I heard a knock- 
ing on my door, and on opening, three handsome young Mexi- 
cans fell to hugging me so affectionately that I thought they 



112 A FAMILY OF SIX DESTITUTE SPANIARDS 

would squeeze the life out of my body. They had just been 
released from the penitentiary, where they had been confined 
for some days, under the charge of having worked in their 
respective positions, (railroad auditors,) durii.g the regime of 
the Villistas here, and for which similar "offence." several of 
their fellows had already been put to death! I told these 
young men that I had not taken up their cases especially; also 
how it was that I could not intervene with their own Gov- 
ernment directly in behalf of any particular Mexican— but 
this seemed to have no effect in diminishing the force of 
their demonstrations. They told me that all the prisoners in 
the Penitentiary confined on similar charges — some hundred 
or more — had heard of the visit which the foreign Consular 
Corps had made to General Dieguez— that by 5 o'clock that 
same afternoon they had began singing our paeans — and that 
the doors of the prison had just been opened to all of their 
kind, instead of their being stood up and shot to death, as 
had been the fate of so many heretofore! 

These were not all of the political prisoners who made 
similar demonstrations — there were many more. 

The Case of a Family of Six Destitute Spaniards 

It was some time ago, that a Spanish lady came to the 
Consulate, and related a tale of woe. She and her husband 
had lost their all as a result of the revolutions in Mexico, and 
were very desirous of returning to their native country. 
(They had four small children.) I gave her a letter to acting 
Governor Berlanger, setting forth the facts in the case, and 
asked him if he could not find a way to send these people to 
Vera Cruz, where they hoped they could meet Senor Car- 
denas, the Spanish representative, recently arrived — with a 
letter from this Consulate setting forth what had been done 
for them here— and expressing the hope that he, Senor Car- 
denas, might in turn be able to secure passage for them from 
there to their native land. A few days after she returned to 



A FAMILY OF SIX DESTITUTE SPANIARDS 113 

the Consulate, much cast down in spirit, and related that 
when she arrived at the State Department with my letter she 
was treated quite rudely, and among other things was told 
that the Government was not furnishing foreigners with 
transportation gratis, and was asked why the American Con- 
sul did not furnish it to them, etc., etc. She had been given 
an unsigned "salva conducto" (passport) which said, "by 
order of the Governor." I advised her that I did not believe 
that Acting Governor Berlanga had seen my letter — that this 
unsigned paper would serve as a good means of introducing 
the subject— to take it and go to Governor B's private resi- 
dence the following morning, and present it, with a copy of 
my letter as soon as he came out. She did as advised, and 
Governor Berlanga took her along with him to the Palace, 
had the parties who had treated the lady so badly called in, 
and after scolding them for not having referred the matter 
to him, directed them to make out an order on Seiior Pani, 
Superintendent of Railroads, to give these people (6) free 
transportation to Vera Cruz, with privilege of traveling on 
either regular or military trains, and to have all courtesies 
extended to them while making the journey. 

After receiving these orders, the little woman came back 
to the Consulate to tell of the good news. She was in a state 
of exaltation, and said many things in trying to express her 
gratitude — some very extravagant — such as what she would 
tell her King when she got back to Spain, etc., etc. I told 
her that whatever her feelings of gratitude might be as to 
the matter in hand, she owed it all to Washington, for having 
a care for unprotected foreigners in this country. Many of 
the Spanish colony — some who did not personally know the 
beneficiaries in this particular case — have come to the Con- 
sulate to express their feelings of gratitude for the protection 
that was being extended to their countrymen by the Wash- 
ington Government. 



114 SECOND ENTRANCE OF VILLA INTO GUADALAJARA 



CHAPTER SEVENTEEN 

SECOND TERM OF VILLA ADMINISTRATION: ITS 
ENTAIL OF POLITICAL WHAT-NOTS AND ITS 
SUCCESS IN MAINTAINING ITS REPUTA- 
TION IN THE PERPETRATION OF ITS 
SHARE OF OUTRAGEOUS MURDERS 

February 15, 1915. 

Second Evacuation of Guadalajara by General Dieguez, (Car- 

rancista), and Second Peaceful Entrance by General 

Francisco Villa 

On the afternoon of the 12th, General Manuel M. Dieg- 
uez evacuated Guadalajara, going with his army in the di- 
rection of Zapotlan, where as on his former evacuation he 
declared he had moved the seat of the State Government, and, 

On the afternoon of the 13th, General Francisco Villa 
made his second peaceful entrance, being received more en- 
thusiastically — if such were possible — than on his first en- 
trance. 

General Villa arrived at the Palace at 4 P. M., from the 
balcony of which he addressed the largest concourse of peo- 
ple that I had ever seen gathered in the plaza and street in 
front. People of all classes were out, and rejoicing as if they 
felt their dliverer had come. Women and children of many 
of the best families — who had not been on the streets since 
General Medina's defeat by Dieguez on the 19th of February 
— were seen in large number. Up to the present, a sense 
of security has been enjoyed by the people in general. 

General Villa is out with the principal part of his forces, 
in pursuit of General Dieguez. The veritable reign of ter- 



SECOND VILLA REGIME 115 

ror that had characterized the Dieguez Second term, would 
have caused these people to have welcomed any change, 
for they had been led to feel — and with ample reason — that 
hardly anything could be worse ! Truly, this second term 
of the Dieguez regime had been a continued orgy of blood- 
shed and of assassinations — the like of which, for the time 
that it lasted, palls description, and if depicted in all of its 
herripilating atrociousness would only serve to sicken the 
mental stomach of the sane, or normally constituted reader. 
No wonder the people rejoiced at the action taken by 
the Consular Corps, and it was not a matter of surprise that 
they — at least for the time — were so extravagant in their 
expressions of gratitude — some going so far as to say that 
when peace should again be restored, our acts would be com- 
memorated by the erection of a monument of pure ivory in 
one of the plazas of the city ! Such expressions certainly were 
flattering. But those acquainted with Mexico know that a 
monument there may not always prove a lasting honor. 
Mexican character is fickle; the heroes they worship and 
erect monuments to one day, they may curse and revile at 
some future day. It was asserted — and I have never heard it 
disputed — that after the Vera Cruz affair Washington's 
monument, erected by Mexicans themselves at the Capital 
in Mexico City, was pulled down by the furious mob, muti- 
lated and subjected to all sorts of indignities, though later it 
was restored again to its pristine glory. But then I suppose 
that instances could be cited where people of more advanced 
culture were guilty of similar acts of unreasoning vandalism 
in times of blind popular fury." 

February 19, 1915. 
Dispatches held Until Opportunity Offers for Safe Forwarding 

"I believe that all letters received at the Consulate re- 
cently had been tampered with before reaching me. To 



116 OUTRAGES TOWARDS PRIESTS AND THE CHURCH 

avoid this happening to my dispatches conveying informa- | 
tion of the situation here, I am holding them to forv^ard by 
private hands to the States. The opening of letters to the 
Consulate, and especially those from Washington, is a prac- 
tice frequently indulged in by somebody. As to Dispatches 
to the Department — especially those of a confidential na- 
ture — I never have risked them to Mexican mails, even 
when I might have sent them thus, but always waited until 
some one on whom I could depend was coming out, to have 
letters mailed after he had reached American soil. I would 
not care that the Mexicans should read my dispatches, while 
I was yet in the land of the Moctezumas ! — and either of the 
present revolutionary factions in control ! 

February 29th, 1915. 
Outrages Towards Catholic Priests, Nuns, and Church In- 
stitutions in this District 

In an effort to gather information on the subject of 
this letter I put an American lady — a Catholic, well known 
to be devoted to the Church — on the job of compiling data 
on the above subject, and she returned to me yesterday with 
only a few meager notes, saying, "I do not think you will 
make use of these notes, for I found it impossible to have 
facts substantiated as you require. Actually, I cannot get 
the people most interested to state facts, for they all seem 
so terrified and afraid — even at the echo of their own voices. 
That Fathers Galvan, Navarro, Araiza, Rameriz, and an- 
other priest, were executed by the military here, there can 
be no doubt, but as to the acceptable facts in each case, you 
will have to wait until these people may feel they can talk 
about such things without being taken out themselves and 
executed the day after." I must therefore take further 
time as to reporting on the execution of Priests, except as 
to that of Father Galvan, who was brutally murdered by 



OUTRAGES TOWARDS PRIESTS AND THE CHURCH 117 

Carranza soldiers on the 3d of January, 1915, while in the 
act of administering extreme unction to fatally wounded 
soldiers of either faction, in the streets near the Municipal 
Hospital, this city, and after all fighting- was over. 

Before reaching Guadalajara on my return trip last 
August, I heard many rumors of terrible outrages said to 
have been perpetrated on the persons of Catholic Nuns and 
Sisters by Carrancista officers and soldiers on their entrance 
to Guadalajara. I was so horrified at these accounts, that 
I made a personal investigation of the matter as soon as 
I could, and found that there was absolutely no truth in 
those rumors. All Nuns, Sisters, and foreign born Priests, 
had been banished, and that was all. Having heard worse 
reports regarding the ravishing of Nuns and Sisters at Gu- 
anajuato, and meeting a short time ago with an English 
gentleman, Mr. Kenneth Cunningham, who lives at Guana- 
juato, and was there all through the recent revolutionary 
changes, I asked him especially about this, and he answered 
that the reports were absolutely false, both in main and 
in detail. Mr. Cunningham and I had become to be very 
good friends — he is an exceptionally well balanced gentle- 
man, and I feel sure he told me the truth. 

While I am not a Catholic myself, as you know, I am 
not prejudiced against the Catholic religion, yet I feel there 
must be some design back of these reports that have been 
reaching Washington. The unvarnished truth would make 
a bad enough showing — or ought to suffice — even for the 
most ultra-prejudiced. 

Both revolutionary factions have systematically! used 
the Archbishopric, and all Catholic school buildings. Con- 
vents, and society homes, for barracks, or have used them 
for any other purposes that suited them, while in military 
control of Guadalajara, and I was told, on my return last 
August, that even the Cathedral had been so abused. At any 



118 SOMETHING ABOUT PRESENT SITUATION HERE 

rate, soldiers were on guard in the open front doors of the 
Cathedral for some time thereafter. As formerly stated, 
all the churches of the city had been closed, but now many 
have been permitted to be reopened, yet most of the Priests 
are still in hiding, and if they go upon the streets, they go 
well disguised. 

Padre Jose Cornejo, who you will remember was one 
of our best friends among the clergy — who is one of the 
most eloquent pulpit orators of the city, a Canon in the 
Church, and one of the professors in the leading ecclesias- 
tical school of Guadalajara (the Priest mill, as the Mex- 
icans call it — "el molino de 16s Padres"), calls frequently 
at the Consulate, but always comes disguised. Whereas, 
(as with all the other Mexican Priests,) he was formerly 
smooth-shaved, now, he sports a full beard, and where his 
Priestly tonsure used to be — at the crown of the head — he 
has also allowed hair to grow, "where the hair ought to 
grow," according to the long, long ago song, "Old Uncle 
Ned." He told me that he was trying to make a living by 
running a carpenter shop, which he was doing under an 
assumed name ! 

What the majority of the other Priests of Guadalajara 
are doing, I do not know, but if they come out of their 
hidings at all, they emerge in disguise, for none can be seen 
upon the streets in Priestly attire, (cloaks, which they use, 
whether in warm or cold weather.) 

February 24th, 1915. 
The Present Political Situation Here 

Since my letter of February 15th, this community has 
enjoyed a state of quiet and security — as complete as could 
be hoped in times of war. Truly, the contrast between the 
Dieguez-Quiroga (Carranza) and the Medina-Delgado 
(Villa,) Governments has so far been in favor of the latter. 



ACCOUNTS OF PRESENT POLITICAL AFFAIRS 119 

General Villa himself is here, but preparing to leave — 
some say to encounter Obregon, at Quereterro, others that 
he is going to Tampico. 

I sent Clerk Corrothers out to his private cars yester- 
day, and during their conversation, General Villa told him 
that we need not fear the return of Dieguez — that his army 
had been so routed and destroyed that he could never come 
back — that he v^ould leave a sufficient force here to success- 
fully combat any semblance of a Carrancista band, that 
might attempt to retake the city — and that if it should by 
any eventuality turn out that he, Villa, might be mistaken, 
he would personally see that the Americans were furnished 
a special train to get out on, and in ample time to escape 
further contact with the Dieguistas. Perhaps he would, and 
then perhaps he might not find himself able to do so, if such 
a contingency should overtake us. Therefore — without in- 
structions from the Department to the contrary — I shall 
make it a point to have the Consulate closed, and be away 
from here, with all who may wish go with me, before the 
Dieguistas return, whether General Villa provides the spe- 
cial train or not. And this I have announced to all Ameri- 
cans, telling them that I feel that I have done all that one 
cuuia do tor them — that I feared I had already acted agaiub*. 
the wishes of the Department in remaining through such 
dangers as we had recently passed, and that I failed to see 
why any of them would want to remain, and chance such 
times again. In the event I should feel I must go, it is my 
present purpose to leave a letter to be delivered to General 
Dieguez, setting forth my reasons for having departed, and 
telling him that I would not reutrn until I may have re- 
ceived assurances that Consular representatives would re- 
ceive the respect and protection due them, and be shielded 
from having themselves, and Consulates insulted by ignor- 



120 ACCOUNTS OF PRESENT POLITICAL AFFAIRS 

ant subordinates, or words to that effect ; excepting always, 
the possibility of my Government ordering otherwise. 

NOTE : At the time of writing the above, it was fear- 
ed that if the Carrancistas should again get in control, a sec- 
ond Dieguez reign of terror, worse than the first, if such 
could be possible — would be inaugurated. 

See report of my interview with General Dieguez, had 
immediately after his return under date, April 20th. 



VILLA'S EFFORT TO HAVE FOREIGNERS' HELP 121 



CHAPTER EIGHTEEN 

TELLING PRINCIPALLY ABOUT HOW THE VILLIS- 
TAS TRIED TO FORCE FOREGNERS TO 
CONTRIBUTE TO THEIR SUPPORT; 
SUBTERFUGES RESORTED TO; 
ACCOUNT OF SOME OF 
THE VILLA ASSASSI- 
NATIONS 

February 25th, 1915. 
Efforts of General Villa to have Foreigners Contribute to the 
Support of his Army 

Yesterday morning a representative of General Villa 
called at the Consulate and said in substance, that General 
Villa wished I would notify my countrymen that he wanted 
to have a meeting of all foreigners at the City Hall at 12 M., 
When asked the object of such meeting, he said he did not 
know. I told him that I was very busy, but would com- 
municate General Villa's wish to as many as I could reach 
by telephone. 

General Villa did not go to the City Hall himself, but 
was represented by Doctor de la Puente, his financial agent. 
The proposition made at the meeting was to assess a loan 
on foreigners for the support of the army. After this was 
shown to be untenable, a loan by voluntary contribution was 
proposed. When this was shown to be yet worse, then the 
representative said that the foreigners would have to con- 
tribute in some way — that there would be a way found to 
compel them to do so. By common consent, everybody 
seemed to look to me to meet the propositions ; in fact most 
of the Consular Corps had come to the American Consulate 



122 AUTHOR'S FIGHT AGAINST VILLA'S DEMANDS 

in advance of the appointed time for the meeting, and asked 
me to do so. I told them that I would meet questions only 
as American representative, and if other foreigners should 
profit thereby, they were more than welcome. The sub- 
stance of what I said, as the Villa representative was driven 
from one proposition to another, was as follows : I have 
in the archives of the American Consulate an abundance of 
instructions from my Government, to protest against Am- 
erican citizens being compelled to contribute to the support 
of armed forces at war with each other. 

To proposition second, that should an American citizen 
wish to make a voluntary contrbution, I did not feel that 
I would have any more to say than if he were a Mexican 
citizen ; but would think that such an act might place such 
foreigner in a still worse plight, in the event he should fall 
into the hands of the enemies of the faction so aided by him. 
Third, that regarding any other manner of raising funds 
from American citizens, that if such were put in writing, 
and I furnished a copy, I would incorporate it in a telegram 
to Washington, and ask instructions. At this, the represen- 
tative seemed to lose entirely his already waning temper, 
and said that the foreign Consuls had not been invited to the 
meeting as such. To this I replied, that when General Vil- 
la's message was delivered to me in the manner that it was, 
I took it as being because of my official position ; but that as I 
may have been mistaken, and inasmuch as I feared that an 
official aura would remain, however strenuously I might as- 
sume that I was present at such meeting in a strictly private 
capacity, with the consent of the representative of General 
Villa, I would retire. I will add that I took occasion to re- 
mark before leaving that I felt I would refelect the senti- 
ments of all my countrymen there, in saying that they 
would gladly give the half of all they possessed in Mexico, 
if such would guarantee permanent peace to the Mexican 



EFFORT TO IMPOSE TAX ON FOREIGNERS 123 

people, but to contribute one cent to the support of armed 
forces, no ! 

The meeting proved a complete fiasco, the representative 
finally saying — as I was afterwards told — that then the gen- 
eral tax assessments would have to be increased. 

This was the only occasion in my various experiences 
with the local Consular corps that caused me to feel a little 
sore; for, after having come in a body to the American Con- 
sulate, and begging me to take the lead — offering to back me 
up in anything I might say — not one of them followed me 
out when I left the hall. 

Perhaps they did not mean they would back me up in 
anything that I might "do." 

March 11th, 1915. 

Governor Medina's Decree, No. 62, Imposing an Extraordin- 
ary Tax on Foreigners under the Guise of a State Tax, 
But in Reality for Military Purposes. 

I am herewith enclosing a printed copy of Governor 
Medina's decree, No. 62, and would call your attention to 
the strictly American people, and companies, in the list there- 
to appended, marked "X," and to assure you that nearly — if 
not all — of the others in said list, are foreigners of other 
countries, or at least representing exclusively foreign people 
and capital. 

The decree bears date of March 1st, but was not made 
public until the afternoon of the day after. 

I at once tried to inform the Department, but three days 
after sending a typewritten message to the telegraph office 
here, the original was returned to me, with the information 
that it had been suppressed. Also three other messages were 
returned about the same time, and with the same piece of 
information. 



124 AUTHOR'S FIGHT AGAINST TAX ON FOREIGNERS ^ 

I then asked George Corrothers to see General Villa, and 
to have him order the censoring of my telegrams stopped; 
and that if not, to my mind there was left but one of two 
other things to do — either abrogate edict 62, as applying to 
American citizens, or to declare me persona non grata. 

Mr. Corrothers soon returned, and assured me that the 
result of his conference with General Villa was to the effect 
that none of my telegrams would be suppressed in future; 
and that it was his, Corrother's opinion, that that part of 
the decree assessing foreigners, would not be enforced. 

Well knowing the duplicity with which the Government 
here was attempting to treat all the foreigners in this dis- 
trict, and fearing they would not want Washington to be 
informed of the matter (hence the suppression of my tele- 
grams), I had several firms, whose head offices were in the 
States, telegraph their respective heads, and ask them to in- 
form Washington— and it was through this that Washing- 
ton found out about it, and caused the Department to tele- 
graph George Corrothers to take the matter up with General 
Villa. 

George Corrothers received Department's instructions on 
Saturday, the 6th, at 10 a. m. That same afternoon, at 3, 
he left with General Villa; but before going, told me he had 
had a talk with General Villa's Secretary of Foreign Rela- 
tions, Sefior Diaz Lombardo, and that the matter had been 
suspended, pending decision. 

Ascertaining that the local authorities disclaimed any 
knowledge of such action, I tried to telegraph to Washington 
again. On the 9th, I tried again to send a telegram after I 
had received Governor Medina's answer to my many protests 
sent him, all of which the following sample will serve to ex- 
plain, translated from Spanish: 

"According to definite instructions from my Government, 



SUPPRESSION OF AUTHOR'S TELEGRAMS 125 

it is my duty to protest against such proceedings with refer- 
ence to interests of American citizens. 

"For this reason, I ask you to issue orders to the effect 
that the imposts referred to be not collected. (Signed) Will 
B. Davis, American Vice Consul, and addressed 'To His Ex- 
cellency, General Julian C. Medina.' " 

General Medina's stereotyped answer to each was as 
follows : 

"Answering your attentive note of the 3d inst., I have 
the honors to say, that it is not possible to accede to ap- 
plications relative to the relief from payment of the extraor- 
dinary tax created by decree No. 62 of this Executive, as it 
refers to a general tax, destined to defray the expenses of 
public administration, and to afford guarantees (protection) 
to the interests of society, of which said Company forms part. 

"With assurances of my consideration, etc. (Signed) 
J. C. Medina, and addressed to American Vice Consul, Will 
B. Davis." 

My last telegram was soon returned after sending it to 
the Federal Telegraph office, asking its key. I then sent it 
in English ; which was also soon afterwards returned, asking 
that we give its Spanish translation ! We did so. It also 
was refused, butT^t was the only original returned to me out 
of the seven censored telegrams which I had tried to send to 
Washington on the subject. 

When I had gone personally to the telegraph office, and 
asked for the originals of the other telegrams (this on the 
5th, and before Villa's departure) I was told they did not 
have them — that they were in the hands of General Villa! 

It seems clear that the authorities did not want Wash- 
ington to know what they were attempting to do to for- 
eigners. 

After furnishing translation of telegram of the 7th, and 
learning that it had been suppressed notwithstanding, I sent 



126 CONFERENCE OF AUTHOR WITH GOV. MEDINA 

it by Consular Clerk Charles Corrothers, to General Medina 
with the wish to know why it could not be transmitted to 
Washington. Mr. Corrothers found Doctor de la Puente and 
Governor Medina togethei. (Dr. Puente is General Villa's 
agent, left here for the purpose of raising funds.) Mr. Cor- 
rothers reported that both Governor M. and Doctor de la P. 
seemed very much agitated over the matter. They had much 
to say about not wanting to stir up trouble with Washing- 
ton, etc. They jointly declined to let the telegram go through, 
but gave a sort of indefinite assurance that Americans would 
not be forced to pay the tax. 

In a talk with General Medina the morning after Mr. 
Corrothers' visit, he told me that the reason they had refused 
to send my telegrams, was that I had called the "extraordinary 
contribution" a "forced loan." 

I answered that a rose by any other name would smell 
as sweet; and that he knew, as well as I — and as everybody 
else here knew — that this so-called "extraordinary contribu- 
tion" was purposed for nothing else than the support of armed 
forces — that the general tax in the upper part of his edict 
would produce more than enough to cover even extraordinary 
expenses of administering the State Government — that to say 
nothing of the rank injustice — and infringement of interna- 
tional obligations in general — it was an unqualified violation 
of our Mexican-American treaties. 

I also reminded him of what passed at the meeting of 
foreigners that was held at the City Hall a week or ten days 
previous when the proposition to have foreigners give finan- 
cial aid to the support of General Villa's army was bare- 
facedly made by General V.'s representative, Doctor de la 
Puente, who, after finding it unacceptable, then said that some 
way would be found to compel the foreigners to contribute 
to the Villa cause, etc., and finally adding, that this self-same 
decree of his (Gov. Medina's) was the first effect of that de- 



CIRCUMVENTS HIS WOULD-BE CIRCUMVENTORS 127 

termination; and that I thought it was useless to try and 
disguise the fact. He said he was surprised that the for- 
eigners were so opposed to the terms of the decree, and wanted 
to know why. 

I answered that we were more surprised that he would 
propose such a thing — that in our opinion he would not be 
sustained in such action before any competent jury of neu- 
trals in all Christendom — and that I therefore felt that before 
he had a right to ask me as to the whynesss of our attitude, 
it would be proper for him to justify his actions — barring 
brute force. 

I had another interview with him yesterday, and he con- 
ceded an "armistice" until next week, but not before he had 
placed embargos on French business houses ; no Americans 
have so far been molested, or any others who have been under 
the protection of this Consulate. 

Fearing from the start that the authorities might try to 
circumvent any efiforts on my part to reach Washington, I 
early in the fight wrote dispatches for a number of com- 
mercial houses, and had them wire their head houses in the 
States, appending urgent requests to each that they be at 
once relayed to Washington. And this is how I circumvented 
my would-be circumventers. 

What I most wished for just then, was official instructions 
from Washington, fresh off the wire, to show those fellows. 
Of course I knew what such instructions would be, but I 
wanted to have them in black and white. 

March 25th, 1915. 
Continued Effort of Villa Government to Have Foreigners 
Pay "Extraordinary Tax" 

I herewith enclose newspaper copy of decree No. 68, by 
Military Governor Medina, that you may see with what per- 
sistence the authorities here are trying to have foreigners 



128 CONTINUING EDICTS AGAINST FOREIGNERS 

contribute to the support of armed forces under one guise or 
another. It is growing distressingly annoying. 

In my opinion, matters are fast coming to — or have al- 
ready arrived at — such a pass, that ordinary protests will 
prove of no avail unless the Washington Government puts 
an efifectual stop to such attempted extortions. 

The facts are, that this edict. No. 68, has been issued 
especially with reference to reaching those who have not yet 
complied with edict No. 62, and by its terms, makes the de- 
mands on foreigners more severe, if anything, than the 
latter. 

I might say — without much risk of misstating — that this 
edict No. 68 is directed especially at foreigners, and is of a 
confiscatory nature. 

As the following refers to the same subject as the fore- 
going, I am giving it here. It explains itself: 

April 24th, 1915. 

Re-Extraordinary Contribution Demanded of Foreigners by 
the Villa Government 

After wrestling with the Villista authorities over the 
above subject for a month or more, I finally succeeded in 
having everything in edicts Nos. 62 and 68 abrogated, except 
as to clauses 1, 2 and 3, of Edict No. 62. 

I also succeedd in having an extension of time granted 
to the 30th of this month. After securing these concessions, 
I advised all to wait until the last limit of the time granted, 
suggesting that perhaps before then (the 30th) the Villistas 
might have evacuated — (as they actually did on the 19th). 

Ever since my return here last August, I have had al- 
most a continuous fight, first with one faction, then with the 
other, over the matter of forced loans and extraordinary con- 
tributions, levied on foreigners ; but so far — with the strong 



VILLISTAS ASSASSINATE POLITICAL SUSPECTS 129 

support the Department has given — we have succeeded in 
winning out in each and every case, not only for Americans, 
but for all foreigners. 

If the revolution keeps up, I expect to yet have to fight 
against similar demands — made under one guise or another — 
and I hope and pray, with equal success. But both sides are 
becoming more and more greedy and if they ever catch me 
entirely cut off from communication with Washington — or 
can succeed in preventing me from doing so — I fear future 
results may not be so favorable. 

In connection with this last interview, the following is 
worth recording: As a bribe to induce me to quit stirring up 
Washington about these "loans," and to shut my eyes against 
the enforcement of the edicts on other nationals, I was of- 
fered exemption from their operations to all who were under 
the protection of the American Consulate! "And what do 
you think of that?" 

April 28th, 1915. 

An Account of a Few of the Many Assassinations 
by the Villistas 

The following account of some of the assassinations by 
the Villistas, taken in connection with those of the Carran- 
cistas, as related in my letter to you February 19, will not 
only go to show that it is not in order for the Villista pot 
to call the Carranza kettle black — or vice versa — but that 
each of the factions are obsessed with the spirit of murder, 
to about an equal degree. 

The Case of Nine Political Suspects 

It was during the first term of the Villa Governor, Gen- 
eral Medina, that nine political prisoners were sent out from 
here on a Mexico City train, under military escort. Among 



130 ASSASSINATION OF J. C. GALLARDO 






these prisoners — all respectable civilians — were a Catholic 
Priest and a prominent lawyer of this city. When the train 
arrived at Ocotlan, some hour and forty minutes from here, 
all the nine prisoners were marched out, stood up against 
the adobe wall of the cemetery, and shot to death. This was 
done without the prisoners having had the semblance of a 
trial, or having been notified of their doom, until they were 
stood up in line to be executed! 

The conductor of the train was an eye-witness to these 
murders, and added, after relating the occurrence, "It was 
one of the most brutal performances that I ever witnessed." 
I leave out details, as I feej the bare facts are sufficiently 
uncanny. 

The Case of Joaquin Cuesta Gallardo 

After General Villa's second, and last taking of Guadala- 
jara, on a Saturday night, at 9 o'clock, Joaquin Cuesta Gal- 
lardo, one of the most prominent and wealthiest citizens of 
Guadalajara, a member of one of the oldest and most highly 
respected families of the State, himself thoroughly esteemed 
by all who knew him, aged 46 years, the husband of a daughter 
of the reputedly wealthiest family in the State, the father 
of eight — and early to have been of nine — children, went to 
call on General Villa, in the private car of the latter, to beg 
relief from the destruction of his properties by Villa soldiers. 
Hot words were exchanged. Result : General Villa ordered 
that Joaquin Cuesta Gallardo be taken immediately to the 
Municipal Cemetery, and shot! 

Family and friends could not learn anything of the fate 
of Joaquin Cuesta Gallardo. 

One version had it that he was taken with Villa to Chi- 
huahua; another, that he was shot the same Saturday night. 
Anyhow, the family went into deep mourning; and a few 
nights ago, the body was secretly exhumed, and identified, 



ASSASSINATION OF J. C. GALLARDO 131 

both by the evidence of clothing, and by that of an American 
dentist who had plans of work which he had done on the 
victim's mouth a short time before the assassination. 

Villa's Second Term ended by his second evacuation, 
April 19th, 1915, "and he never came back" — to Guadalajara. 



132 THIRD DIEGUEZ OCCUPATION OF GUADALAJARA 



i 



CHAPTER NINETEEN 

THIRD TERM CARRANZA-DIEGUEZ ADMINISTRA- 
TION: FORMER REIGN OF TERRO NOT 
RENEWED 

Second Evacuation of Guadalajara by the Conventionalistas 

(NOTE. — Where the word "Constitutionalist" occurs in 
these Chronicles, it always means Carrancista, and that of 
"Cenventionalista," Villista.) 

Each faction, however, was both as unconstitutional and 
as unconventional in the violation of all constitutional Gov- 
ernment, as they knew how to be — and the terms were merely 
assumed by each without regard to their meaning. 

April 20th, 1915. 
Third Occupation by the Constitutionalistas 

Although the Conventionalista army — some 4,000 strong 
— and the employees of the postoffice, telegraph. State and 
Municipal Departments, and all who were Working for the 
railroads during the Conventionalista occupation, as well as 
many private citizens, left on the 16th, the Constitutionalista 
forces — some 2,000 in number — headed by General Manuel M. 
Dieguez, did not reach Guadalajara until about noon, on the 
18th. 

General Dieguez' entrance was perfectly peaceful. He 
went at once to the Plaza de la Constitucion, in front of the 
Palace, and harrangued the public, which received and 
cheered him quite heartily. 

His speech was as usual, inveighing against the Villistas; 
r — and among other things which he said was : "I understand 
that all Church bells, and especially those in the Cathedral 



INTERVIEW OF AUTHOR WITH GEN. DIEGUEZ 133 

towers, rang out welcomes when General Villa entered Guada- 
lajara the last time. I will see (pointing to the Cathedral 
towers) that those bells will never sound again!" 

After this talk from the pavilion of the plaza (the Palace 
was not yet reopened) General Dieguez and stafif went direct- 
ly to the Hotel Fenix. 

I called on him at once, and he received me cordially. I 
told him that my early visit was not only for the purpose of 
paying my respects without delay, but to ask of him a "sal- 
vaconducto," protecting both myself and the American Con- 
sulate from any bother at the hands of his subordinates under 
any pretext whatever. Indeed, I had written the "salva- 
conducto" myself before calling. He read it hastily, and 
signed it. 

Then he told me that he had heard of my fight with the 
Villistas against a loan from foreigners, and wished I should 
relate to him particularly my recent "tilt" with Doctor Ramon 
de la Puente at the meting of the foreigners called by General 
Villa. I asked him what he had heard. He told me. I 
answered him that his information was substantially correct. 

The next morning after breakfast, General Dieguez asked 
me to go with him to his room, which was in the hotel, where 
he talked to me very freely, assuring me that he had not 
come back to persecute anybody — that he wanted to turn the 
city's government affairs over to a committee — that he had 
thought of calling a meeting of the business public, especially 
members of the Board of Trade, to advise him as to what 
form of Government they wished, etc. 

I congratulated him on this determination, adding that 
if he would, in connection with this action, make all monies 
that had been forced upon the public since the revolution, of 
the denomination of one peso and less, circulate with equal 
protection, it would, in my opinion, greatly relieve the dis- 
tress of the poor especially, and aid business in general. 



134 ACTION TAKEN BY CONSULAR CORPS 

He took the suggestion favorably, and at the meeting of 
the business men's committee, authorized them to do this. 

General Dieguez left this afternoon, going towards Ira- 
puato, to join General Obregon, it is thought. 

At present, all municipal and some State affairs, are in 
the hands of the Citizen's Committee of five, headed by Senor 
Louis Castellanos — all good, conservative men. 

My suggestion to General Dieguez in regard to the matter 
of revolutionary money, was merely the following up of my 
remarks on such matters which I made on the occasion of 
the visit of the Consular Corps to him on January 23d (which 
part I omitted in giving account of same — in my letter dated 
Feb. 2nd). 

April 24th, 1915. 
Present Political Situation Here, and Action Taken by the 
Consular Corps 

Referring to that part of my letter of the 20th, regarding 
the appointment of & Citizen's Committee by General Dieguez, 
I sent the following invitation to the members of the local 
Consular Corps : 

"Gentlemen: — The British Vice Consul and myself have 
thought it well to ask you to call at the American Consulate 
at 12 M. today, that we may go in a body to call on Sefior 
Louis Castellanos, and assure him of our hearty approval of 
his acceptance of the responsibility of heading the local Civil 
Government authorized by General Dieguez, and tell him 
that we will hold ourselves ready to use our joint efforts to 
protect him, and all his subordinates, from persecutions at 
the hands of any revolutionary faction which might in the 
future take possession of the Government here." 

All responded ; they heartily approved of the suggestion 
without regard to nationality — and the matter was so acted 
upon. 






OUR ISOLATED SITUATION 135 

I felt that in view of the foreign interests here needing 
the contemplatel protection — quite as much as those of the 
natives — we were justified in assuring Sefior Castellanos of 
our appreciation of his acts, as well as guaranteeing to him 
all the protection that our united efforts, as Consular rep- 
resentatives, might be able to extend, especially since ac- 
cording to report, in two similar cases in the Republic, all 
civilians who had taken part in such efforts, were stood up 
and shot to death, by the first incoming revolutionary band 
that entered. 

Indeed, it was the common practice among all the revo- 
lutionary factions, to kill everybody who had had to do with 
Government affairs of former regimes, and was usually the 
first thing they proceeded to do on newly entering a town ! 

In fact, this same Senor Castellanos went into hiding at 
the approach of General Dieguez this last time, and I was 
present when he. General Dieguez, asked a Mr. Guillermo 
Collignon to go out and bring Senor C. in by assuring him 
that he was not wanted for purposes of execution, but to be 
used by the new Government to assist it in its Municipal af- 
fairs ! — quite a contrast to General Dieguez' behavior when 
he made his econd entry into Guadalajara! 

April 25th, 1915. 
Our Present Isolated Situation 

We have again been entirely deprived of mail and tele- 
graphic communication with the outside world, and the pros- 
pect of an early betterment of this great inconvenience is not 
very promising. Our last mail was received on the 19th inst. 

Four kilometers of railroad track between here and 
Colima on the Manzanillo branch was not only torn up by 
by the Conventionalistas before leaving, but the rails and 
cross-ties carried away. I do not think any efforts have been 
made to repair this breach. 



136 FORMER REIGN OF TERROR NOT RESUMED 

On the railroad from here to Irapuato, ten or twelve 
culverts have been burnel. This road could be put in order 
in a few days, but there does not seem to be any one to do 
it. Then there is no locomotive, or a single car, on the 
Guadalajara division, between here and Irapuato on the East, 
or Colima, on the South. 

General Estrada thinks that telegraphic communication 
between here and Vera Cruz, via Pachuca, will be open in a 
few days, and promised to notify me as soon as it was ac- 
complished, but I feel sure he will not do anything of the 
kind. These people seem to easily forget such promises. 

I am sending this, and other letters and dispatches, by a 
gentleman who leaves for Manzanillo in the morning. It 
may be some time before I will be able to get any more mail 
out. But I shall continue to write up matters the same as if 
communication was open, and forward when opportunity 
occurs. 

May 8th, 1915. 

Situation Here at Present 

The present occupation of this city by the Constitution- 
alistas, has been in marked contrast to their former — the dif- 
ference all being in favor of the present. 

I have not heard of a single case of persecution, or of 
summary execution, since their last return to Guadalajara. 

Personally, I am on the best of terms with the present 
authorities, and can assure you — as far as anything down here 
can at present be assured — that their conduct toward the gen- 
eral public will be more respectful of the lives and rights 
of others, than either of their former occupations. 

We are now isolated ; our only outlet by rail since the 
Villista evacuation, has been via Manzanillo, and this by an 
occasional military train. Within the past few days, this has 
been interrupted. 



DEMANDS FOR REPAYMENT OF TAXES 137 

I have heard that a body of Villistas had taken Colima, 
and had destroyed many bridges South of Zapotlan. 

Demand by Constitutionalist Faction, Repayment to Them of 

All Taxes Paid to the Conventionalistas, During the 

Latter's Occupation — Past, Present 

and Future 

"I will call your attention to the enclosed copy of a cir- 
cular letter from Louis Cabrera, Carranza's Secretary of 
Treasury (?), to all Administradores de Rentas (tax col- 
lectors), as well as my letter to acting Governor Berlanga, 
dated today, on the above subject." 

I am not waiting for Governor Berlanga's answer, as 
I have an opportunity to send this and other correspondence 
out by private party going to El Paso — leaving here at 6 
tomorrow morning. 

It may be some days before Governor B. replies, and 
then it might be a long time before another opportunity would 
present itself for getting correspondence out. 

Guadalajara, Mexico, May 8th, 1915. 
"Senor M. Aguerre Berlanga, 

Acting Governor. 

"Sir: — I have learned that both the Central and local 
Constitutionalista Governments will decline to recognize re- 
ceipts issued for taxes paid during the occupation of this city 
by the Conventionalistas. 

"It would seem that this is not based on justice, and I 
will have to protest energetically against such a resolution, 
in so far as it concerns the interests of foreigners under the 
protection of this Consulate. 

"Foreigners who might subject themselves to this class 
of acts, would thereby at least tacitly imply a recognition 
on their part of the legality of one or the other faction, al- 



138 THE ALARMING ECONOMIC SITUATION J 

though neither faction is at present recognized by any Gov- 
ernment. 

"While it is the duty of persons resident in a foreign 
country, to submit to the laws in force in such country — be 
the Government de jure, or de facto — it is not for them to 
decide if such Government is, or is not, legally constituted. 

"I will present to you the following concrete case : While 
the Conventionalista forces occupied this city, I received in- 
structions from Mr. W. J. Bryan, Secretary of State of the 
United States, to pay the taxes of an American mining com- 
pany, and to draw on him for the amount so expended. I 
went to the tax office, and made the payment, and then drew 
on Mr. Bryan for the amount, attaching to my draft, the re- 
ceipts of the Government I then found here. Now, I leave 
it to your superior judgment, whether it was incumbent on 
me to say, if that Government was legal or not — and if I 
should now make a second payment to the Government which 
I now find in power, and again draw on Mr. Bryan. 

"I avail myself of the opportunity to assure your ex- 
cellency of my high appreciation. (Signed) Will B. Davis, 
American Vice Consul." 

To the best of my memory. Governor Berlanga never did 
answer the above letter. 

May 14th, 1915. 
Bearing Upon the Deplorable and Alarming, Economic 
Situation Here 

As forecasted in my letter to you of November 7, 1914, — 
wherein I said : "Conservative people here prophesy, that be- 
fore the middle of the year 1915, starvation will be at the 
doors of thousands who never before had experienced the 
pangs of hunger," that this prophecy was not far-fetched, but 
well-founded ; so much so that it is already coming true, and 
will indefinitely grow worse, and will send thousands of 



THE ALARMING ECONOMIC SITUATION 139 

human beings to their graves, if the mild climate and wild 
fruits and herbs, do not prove their meager salvation. 

Ten days ago, Acting Governor Berlanga called upon 
the Guadalajara public for a contribution of one hundred 
thousand pesos, for the immediate relief of the — as the case 
was put by him — starving poor. 

The foreign Consular Corps came in a body to the 
American Consulate to consult as to what should be done 
by the foreigners, in this matter. It was decided to appoint 
a committee, of which I was made a member, to notify Gov- 
ernor Berlanga that the foreigners would gladly contribute 
their mites to this humanitarian cause, provided it could be 
so arranged that the money subscribed should not be deliv- 
ered to any political faction for distribution, but to the 
"Beneficencia Publica," a committee to be named by the 
Guadalajara Merchants' Association, and by them to be 
handled and distributed entirely. The Governor agreed to 
this. 

The French Consular Agent was requested to make an 
apportionment of twenty-five thousand pesos to be raised by 
the foreign colonies, of which fifty-five hundred was allotted 
to the American Colony. 

We already have subscribed five thousand of this, and 
have not yet asked individual subscriptions — that is to say, 
we have secured a perfectly good subscription of five thousand 
pesos from various firms and companies. The remainder can 
easily be secured. 

I thought it worth while to tell you of this, that you 
might realize — although our colony is very small, com- 
paratively poor and growing poorer day by day on account 
of every kind of happenings and embarrassments that such 
a revolution as is going on brings — that the American colony 
of Guadalapara, taken as a whole, is composed of mighty good 
people. 



140 THE ALARMING ECONOMIC SITUATION 



1 



May 27th, 1915. 
Present Situation Here 

Guadalajara remains in a state of complete isolation with 
reference to communication with the outside world through 
public utilities. Only by persons going out from here, and 
chancing to ultimately reach Manzanillo, on the South, or El 
Paso, on the North, have we been able to get any mail out 
at all, since the 19th of April, and that we have not received 
any since. 

The conduct of the present Government under Acting 
Governor M. Aguirre Berlanga, toward the public, has been 
of a considerate nature ; and true to the promises of General 
Dieguez, on his last entrance to Guadalajara, there have not 
been any persecutions nor summary executions. 

On account of the fact that General Obregon has called 
part of the local garrison to his aid in his now active cam- 
paign against General Villa — extending from Irapuato to 
Aguascalientes — General Estrada has not sufficient troops left 
to extend protection to the entire State. 

But Governor Berlanga tells me that if General Obregon 
succeeds in driving General Villa to the North, that it will 
then be only a short time before complete order will be re- 
stored throughout the State of Jalisco. 

In view of the terrible times that this community has 
gone through, first under one, and then another, of the con- 
tending factions, I feel that the conduct of affairs under Gov- 
ernor Berlanga cannot be commended too highly. 

The economic situation is anything but satisfactory, and 
can scarcely grow other than worse. 

In my dispatch, dated the 14th of this month, I referred 
to the matter of raising one hundred thousand pesos for the 
relief of the starving poor of Guadalajara, and the assumption 
of twenty-five thousand of this by the foreigners here; and 



ECONOMICO-POLITICAL SITUATION (Continued) 141 

the allotment of fifty-five hundred of this latter amount to 
the American colony. Our colony has already raised an even 
six thousand, checks for which I am holding in the Con- 
sulate safe, to be turned over to the "Beneficiencia Publica" 
committee as son as named, and when — and not until then — 
the remaining seventy-five thousand pesos has been paid over 
by the Mexicans, as their part. 

Also, I must know that the agreement between Governor 
Berlanga and the Consular committee has been faithfully 
complied with. 

June 3d, 1915. 
The Very Anomalous Situation Here, and Near-by Elsewhere 

The situation here is so very anomalous that I thought 
it would be interesting to you to know. I reiterate to you 
the contents of my letter of May 17th, wherein I somewhat 
eulogized the Constitutionalista officer in charge of the Gov- 
ernment here at present. 

But I must say that the entire State of Jalisco, excepting 
Guadalajara and its immediate vicinity, and along the rail- 
roads from here to Irapuato and to Manzanillo, is in the 
hands of the Conventionalistas (Villistas). 

Since my dispatch of May 27th, there have arrived at 
Guadalajara from Irapuato, some 2,500 soldiers, which it is 
claimed were sent here for the purpose of putting all the 
outlying districts now in the hands of the Villistas, under 
Carrancista control. And it would appear that this was the 
real object of sending soldiers here, for several bodies of 
these troops have already been sent out in the direction of 
Ameca, Quemada, and San Cristobal. 

But when these troops began to arrive, it was believed 
that it was the beginning of a retirement move of the Obregon 
forces toward Guadalajara, for the issue between the Obregon 



142 VILLISTAS ATTEMPT TO RETAKE GUADALAJARA 

and Villa armies seems by no means to have been yet de- 
cided, one way or another. 

And in the event General Obregon should lose, it is 
believed that he would come to Guadalajara, instead of going 
towards Mexico City. 

In which case I feel that Guadalajara will become the 
theater of some of the most interesting military movements 
since the beginning of the revolutions in Mexico; and in its 
train, throw onto this Consulate, responsibilities probably 
greater than it has yet borne. 

Be it as it may, however, and whether we may be further — 
and for a longer time — cut off from communication with 
Washington, I shall remain at my post as long as permitted, 
and try to at lease ameliorate the sufferings — not only of those 
immediately under the protection of this Consulate — but of 
all, including the Mexicans themselves — as I have done in 
the past — and feel that with former experiences, and the con- 
fidence that each of the i evolutionary factions entertain to- 
ward the sincerity of my purposes, on account of the fairness 
that has always characterized my actions in each and every 
contingency heretofore, that I will be better equipped for 
such yet greater responsibilities. 

June 19th, 1915. 
Second Attempt of General Medina (Villista Governor) to 
Retake Guadalajara 

On the afternoon of the 15th of this month, General 
Medina, former Constitutionalista Governor of this State, 
with a force of some 2.000 soldiers, attempted to retake 
Guadalajara, beginning the attack at 3 p. m., and continuing 
a sort of running fight until 5 o'clock. 

The Medina forces did not come nearer than the suburbs 
of the city — they were repulsed by the Constitutionalista 
forces. 



, SACKING OF AMECA BY THE CARRANCISTAS 143 

On the afternoon of the 17th, the Conventionalistas, by 
removing parts of the machinery of the electric power plant 
at Puente Grande, some fifteen miles from the city, deprived 
Guadalajara of light and water for about 16 hours; for the 
pumps of the city's waterworks are run by electric power 
derived from there. The city was in total darkness up to 
4 a. m., on the night of the 17th. 

It was thought that this was done for the purpose of 
making another night attack — such as was fully reported in 
my letter of February 3d ; but that same afternoon General 
Dieguez arrived with reinforcements, and is now actively 
pursuing the Conventionalistas in every part of the State. 

June 19th, 1915. 
The Sacking of Ameca, This State, by Carrancista Soldiers 

I am sorry to have to report on the very bad behavior 
of a Carrancista force of about 300, under the command of 
Col. Gayou, on Sunday, the 6th. 

The Villistas evacuated without making any resistance 
whatever, and the Carrancistas entered without firing a gun. 

The business houses of Ameca were all closed at the 
time of the entrance of the Carrancistas, which was about 5 
o'clock in the afternoon; but the soldiery broke them open, 
and after gutting the stores, tore down even the shelvings 
and counters and carried them away. 

They then turned their attention to private residences, 
which were also generally sacked. All this was done without 
apparent excuse or provocation. 

Of the half dozen Americans residing at Ameca, none 
were molested. 

I casually met Col. Gayou on the street, when he under- 
took to exculpate himself from responsibility for the sacking 
of Ameca, saying that he was in the rear of his troops, and 
that the sackings had all taken place before his arrival; but 



144 SACKING OF AMECA BY THE CARRANCISTAS ' 

he did not mention having punished any of his soldiers for 
having plundered the town, nor that any of the pelf had been 
taken from them. 



FOOD CONDITIONS, PRESENT AND PROSPECTIVE 145 



CHAPTER TWENTY 

CONTINUATION OF THE CARRANZA-DIEGUEZ 
(CONSTITUTIO^NALISTA) REGIME 

Food Conditions, Present and Prospective, in the State of 

Jalisco ; and Some References to a State of Political 

Affairs, Which Tend to Aggravate the 

Situation 

I apprehended that your inquiry of the 19th, was meas- 
urably the result of my letter to you dated May 14th, entitled, 
"Bearing Upon the Deplorable, and Alarming Economic 
Situation Here." 

As this letter was more directly the result of visible, and 
reported conditions — and especially the appeal made by Gov- 
ernor Berlanga, therein reported — I went to see Governor B. 
on receipt of your letter to ascertain, in case of necessity, the 
facilities for transporting foods introduced from the outside, 
for the benefit of the civilian poor; and also to obtain from 
him such data as he might be able to furnish, with the view 
of making up an ample report, as you so much desire. 

Governor Berlanga declared that no outside assistance 
was now needed. He also informed me that he had been 
directed by General Carranza to furnish him. General C., with 
full data as to the food situation in this State, and promised 
me the use of such in making up my reports to you. 

But from past experiences in depending upon such sources 
for information — especially as to correct information — I went 
to work on the case independently. 

The amount of deception that one has to deal with 
here — especially when in quest of data for giving information 
to outsiders — is inconceivable, except to those actually on 



146 FOOD CONDITIONS, PRESENT AND PROSPECTIVE m 

the ground — and this suggests to me to tell you more of the 
one hundred thousand pesos asked by Governor Berlanga, as 
first related in my letter of May 14. 

You are already informed of the action — the raising of 
twenty-five thousand pesos — by the foreign colonies, to as- 
sist in furnishing the 100,000 asked for, as well as the agree- 
ment between Governor B. and the Consular committee, as 
to how the money should be handled. 

But I have to report that although the foreign colonies 
raised, without delay, the portion allotted to them, and that 
Governor Berlanga has repeatedly been informed of the fact 
that we were ready to turn our quota over as soon as the 
other 75,000 had been raised by the Mexicans — he has never 
shown the least interest in the matter; and I am reliably 
informed that no subscription whatever to the proposed end 
has been attempted among the Mexican population. 

But about ten days ago, I saw in the "Boletin Militar," 
the semi-ofiicial daily paper of this city, the following, which 
I will translate from the Spanish : "The Philanthropic Aid 
Committee has been distributing food stufTs to the families 
of the soldiers." 

As to who had to do with the naming of this so-called 
"Philanthropic Aid Committee," I do not know, but divine 
that it would not require a great stretch of the imagination to 
guess pretty accurately! 

Considering that while the common soldier is receiving 
one peso seventy-five cents daily, and the ordinary laborer 
only fifty cents, taken in connection with the fact that a large 
number cannot find work at any price, it strikes me that the 
"Philanthropic" part of the name of said "Aid Committee" 
could have been omitted without doing it, the said committee, 
any great amount of injustice. 

I should not like to believe that Governor Berlanga had 
the relief of only "the families of the soldiers" in view, when 



FOOD CONDITIONS, PRESENT AND PROSPECTIVE 147 

he appealel to the general public for that 100,000 pesos; or 
that the agreement made with the Consular committee — which 
he could not very well refuse— had taken all the philanthropic 
spirit out of his system ! 

At any rate, the foreigners are yet holding their sub- 
scriptions intact, and will continue to do so until what they 
understand to have been the original purpose of the philan- 
thropic understanding is complied with. 

As a basis of a report on the present and prospective 
supplies of food stuffs in this State, I reproduce here below 
a tabulated estimate as made by the State Agricultural Con- 
gress for the year 1912— the last of its kind published— which 
crop was considered about one-third above the average: 

Av. Price, 
Total Crop in Kilograms 100 kilos Total Value 
Products — 

Corn, 6 to 7 million hectoliters $500.00 $22,750,000 

Frijol, 300,000 to 350,000 hectols 8.00 2,080,000 

Rice, 5,000 to 6,000 cgs. of 138 kilos. . . . 12.00 88,000 

Wheat, 200,000 to 250,000 cgs. of 16 kilos 10.00 3,800,000 

Barley, 80,000 to 100,000 hectoliters.. 5.00 225,000 

Coffee, 100,000 quintals. 46 ks. each 70.00 65,000 

Sugar, 14,000,000 to 15.000,000 kilos.. 20.00 2,900,000 

Chile, 175,000 to 200,000 kilos 40.00 75,000 

Cotton, 300 to 1.000 quintals, 46 ks. each 50.00 20,000 

Tobacco, 230.000 to 250.000 kilos 20.00 48.000 

Garbonzo, 225,000 to 250.000 cargas. . . 10.00 J^^'^^O 

Panocha, 50,000 to 60,000 12.00 759,000 

Alcohol, 30,000 to 100,000 cases 23.00 I'^^O-OOO 

Tequila, 100,000 to 120.000 barrels.... 15.00 I'l^O.OOO 

Linseed, 400,000 to 450,000 kilos 8.00 34,000 

Peanuts, 29,000 to 35,000 hectoliters. . . 6.50 48,000 

Palm Seed, 4,000 to 5,000 cargas 20.00 125,000 

From the best informed sources on the subject, the crops 
of last year were 70% less than the above ; and the crops of 



148 FOOD CONDITIONS, PRESENT AND PROSPECTIVE 

this year, so far — the small grain crops — about 60% less, 
while prices, on an average, have advanced 100%. 

The acreage of small grain, of this and last year, were 
approximately the same ; but the crops of this Spring's grow- 
ing are much better than those of last year. 

As to the balance of the crops for this year — practically 
all crops grown here, except small grain — it is difficult to 
estimate, for conditions have progressively grown more un- 
favorable, as to contemplated acreage ; and then such as may 
be attempted, success will depend much upon the supply of 
moisture during the "rainy season," upon which we are just 
now entering. It is also difficult to estimate the amount of 
actual food stufifs in the State at any given time under the 
present conditions, for want of communication with about 
two-third of the outlying — and some of the most productive — 
districts. 

During the Villa occupation, trainload after trainload of 
provisions were sent North. These shipments were taken 
from every accessible pare of the State by a bare-faced process 
of confiscation — taking entire possession of the haciendas, 
and in many cases, driving the poor peons ofif the premises — 
peons whose succession of forefathers had lived on them for 
one and two hundred years — to go out into a world they knew 
little, or nothing about, to live just any way they might, or 
starve — and little, or none, did it matter to the soldiery as 
to what might become of them — the very people whose inter- 
ests the various revolutionary factions are professing to be 
fighting for — ruining this country for! These food stuffs 
were shipped North to be sold to the already impoverished 
people of those sections at high prices, to line the pockets of 
the revolutionary chiefs 

Thus — and from what will follow — it can be seen how, 
that although during normal times, this State produces an- 
nually more than double the amount of food stuffs necessary 



WHAT IS GOING ON IN COUNTRY DISTRICTS 149 

for the consumption of its own population, it is hovering so 
closely onto a state of famine; if not actually for the want 
of the necessaries of life, for the want of means on the part 
of the poor to purchase at their already doubled — and yet to 
be increased — prices. 

Nearly all the horses and mules of the various haciendas 
have been commandeered for military purposes; and even the 
ox, that was wont to pull the Mexican plow, has been sacri- 
ficed; if not to regale the inner man of the soldiery, then for 
their hides alone, either to be used in the purchase of yet 
more death-dealing missiles, or to swell the bank accounts 
of revolutionary leader?, in banking institutions somewhere 
beyond the confines of their own country. 

The spirit of wanton destruction that has characterized 
the conduct of the various armed gentry camping on the 
haciendas of this State, has been most abominable. Not sat- 
isfied with the commandeering of necessary supplies and ani- 
mals, their practice has been to throw upon the ground at 
each feeding, corn or other grain in superabundance, and in 
such extravagance, that there was trampled in the earth as 
much again as their beasts consumed; and on leaving, de- 
stroying whatever they might not be able to carry away with 
them. 

The irrigated lands of many haciendas, where the last 
winter's crop of wheat, rye and barley were growing, have so 
much been made the pasturage, and stamping grounds of the 
animals of the hordes of soldiers encamped upon them, that 
when the season for reaping came, the fields were as bare as 
unto so much waste land. 

Along nearly all of the frequented thoroughfares of the 
State, the small farmers — "rancheros" — have abandoned their 
homes, and taken refuge in some neighboring village, town 
or city. About the houses of these neglected farms can fre- 



150 CARRANZAISM EXEMPLIFIED 

quently be seen domestic animals — especially dogs — already 
reduced to walking skeletons. | 

Mr. A. W. Earnest, manager of the American Club here, 
told me that a friend of his recently travelled all the way 
from Mascota to Ameca on horseback, and that he told him 
that everywhere he travelled, he had found such as is related 
above to have been the case without exception whatever — that 
whereas, in ordinary times, these small farms showed signs 
of cultivation, and grov/ing crops were in evidence on every 
hand, now there cannot be seen a growing thing that promises 
food for man or beast. 

Many of the larger farms — "haciendas" — plantations- 
have also been abandoned in like manner — in some cases be- 
cause of the want of horses, mules and oxen to work them, 
and in others because their owners have become too much 
disheartened to make further attempts to produce crops only 
to see them abused in the growing, and afterwards, the little 
that might be garnered after maturity, confiscated by the 
soldiers of one or the other of the revolutionary factions, or 
by some of the many roving bands of predatory nondescripts. 

As samples of the senseless, and arbitrary spirit with 
which these pretended defenders of the people's rights are 
obsessed, the following cases will serve: 

After confiscating all the coal that the Guadalajara Gas 
Company had either here or in transit — and rendering it im- 
possible for it to get more — and when the Company found 
itself reduced to the necessity of resorting to wood instead, 
so paralyzing transportation that even woold could not be 
obtained — and incidentally having with rifle bullets per- 
forated the gas tanks by allowing soldiers camped near them 
to use said tanks as targets — permitting same even after en- 
ergetic protests from this Consulate — thus compelling the 
Company to close its plant entirely — our very intelligent, if 
not philosophical. Acting Governor, Berlanga, issued positive 



CARRANZAISM EXEMPLIFIED 151 

orders for the Gas Company to resume active operations at 
once, under heavy penalties. 

Mr. Wm. Collignon, a miller of Guadalajara, says : "Al- 
though I have considerable quantities of wheat at various 
haciendas in the State already contracted for, I find I cannot 
run my flour mill on account of the want of transportation 
facilities. Flour is much needed, anl although I am more 
than anxious to grind, and have repeatedly begged the 
authorities for the use of cars to bring my wheat to the mill, 
without any avail whatever — the excuse ever being that all 
available cars were needed for military purposes — I have just 
been served with a written order to start my mill to grinding 
again, by or before the 28th, under penalty of having my 
property confiscated if said order should not be complied 
with !" 

Thus matters are — and have been going on with a vim. 

Cars and trains are provided in abundance for carrying 
the soldiery — including their women and children — back and 
forth over the country, without any apparent object in most 
cases — at least without accomplishing any visible good — 
thus, and in many other ways, hampering and paralyzing 
everything else so as to cause such indispensible industries 
as gas plants, flour mills, etc., etc., to close down, and then 
ordering their owners, under confiscatory penalties, to resume 
operations, leads me to remark, that for ways that are ob- 
tusely stupid, these late so-called Governments are peculiar; 
and the only difference that I have been able to discern be- 
tween the various factions, consists in that each in turn al- 
ways seems to be worse than its immediate predecessor — 
and they have already changed hands several times. 

I will try to keep as well in touch with the economic 
situations here as the superlatively confusing circumstances 
will permit, to the end that I may be able to furnish you as 
accurate information as can be obtained. 



152 THE PROLETARIAT IN THE SADDLE 

June 28th, 1915. | 
The Proletariat in the Saddle 

In trying to convey to you a correct idea of the thorough 
ludicrousness of many things that are of daily observation 
hereabouts, I find myself handicapped by an inability to 
actually photograph some of the scenes, for want of films — 
all kodak films having been exhausted long ago — and no 
means of getting more. 

You would be able to appreciate the humor of the situa- 
tions that are constantly in evidence here now, because you 
knew something of this city in normal times, otherwise you 
could not. 

As you are aware Guadalajara is famed as the most cul- 
tured and wealthy city in proportion to its population in the 
Republic of Mexico, except, perhaps, Merida, on the Gulf 
Coast. 

Whereas, on the evenings of Sunday, Thursday, and cer- 
tain feast days, the central piazza of the city was the scene 
of animated meetings — passings and repassings of the resi- 
dent and visiting wealth and culture of both sexes and all 
ages formerly — where tlie gallant caballeros took advantage 
of the numerous opportunities of greeting the Sefioritas, and 
by sign language court their sweethearts ; while the female 
contingent vied with each other in displaying the richest, and 
most recent Parisian fashions, and by winsome smiles, and 
eye-language bewitcheries — at which they are adepts — in 
promenadings in opposite directions to the colums of the 
masculine gentry — a custom universally observed in Mexico 
• — (doesn't this remind you of old times?) — now, there is only 
to be seen a conglomerate mixture of the proletariat element, 
from the passably decently clothed, to the dirty and ragged, 
and — in some cases — half naked peons, intermixed with the 
soldiery — officers and privates — and the promiscuous women 



THE PROLETARIAT IN THE SADDLE 153 

they carry about with them. Ever since the beginning of 
the revolutions, the Piaza de Armes has been practically 
abandoned by the "gente decente." 

When one now hears the "honk" of an automobile, or the 
tramp of carriage horses on the streets of the city, they do 
not expect to see in the finer vehicles anything but ofificers 
of various grades, and in the public coaches and the older and 
much abused autos, loads of soldiers, apparently having the 
time of their lives, along with just any kinds of women, with- 
out regard to virtue, race, color, or previous conditions of 
servitude. These people can be recognized by any one as not 
having been accustomed to such luxuries ; but no one must 
turn up their noses at them for fear of being arrested and 
punished for disrespect to the noble military — the guardians 
and protectors of the people — protecting them by robbing 
them of all these vehicles, and many other things ! 

The Fenix Hotel, where I lodge, seems to be the most 
popular resort of the military "aristocracy." They come in 
at all hours, and have to be served, whether according to the 
established rules of the house or not. They come singly and 
in groups, frequently accompanied by women, whom they 
either carry with them, or have just picked up from the 
street — one could not tell the difference — and eat and drink 
to their fill, in the finest hotel in the Republic; and while I 
have been much amused at the table manners — or no man- 
ners — in evidence, such as the laying of knives and forks 
aside and eating with their fingers, and posturing at the 
tables in such a medley of styles that nothing but snap-shot 
photographs could actually represent; I must say that their 
conduct has never been boisterous, or in any way disrespect- 
ful towards others, and has been consistently free of drunken 
swaggerings. 

Street disturbances and personal brawls are of remark- 



154 THE PROLETARIAT IN THE SADDLE | 

able infrequency, considering the goings and comings of so 
many of the military. 

What is meant by the rather vulgar expression of "mak- 
ing a rough house" in our country is of very infrequent oc- 
currence here. 

While we have not seen in this city as queer actions as 
are said to have occurred on the streets of Mexico City — 
such as the shooting by the Zapatista soldiery of the horses 
which were pulling, and all the. 22 firemen accompanying, a 
fire engine while a run was being made to a burning building, 
and killing them all — yet many very ridiculous things have 
happened here ; and even though tragical, their extreme drol- 
lery renders them at times irresistably laughbale. 

(It was told that the Zapatista soldiers shot and killed 
those firemen and horses under the impression that the 
engine which was being rushed to a fire was some new kind 
of artillery outfit, and as they, the soldiers, were supposed 
to be on duty for the purpose of protecting the city, they 
very rightly — from their way of thinking, if they really think 
— proceeded to render the supposed enemy incapable of 
harming the people or property of their modern Tenoch- 
titlan.) 

One of the most amusing pictures is that presented on 
the goings out, and comings in, of the infantry. There are 
usually from one-half to three-fourths as many women as 
there are men. I do not know how they march in the country, 
but in going through the city the soldiers march in breasts of 
two to four, along the middle of the street, while the "solda- 
deras," (women,) toddle along the side-walks on either side, 
carrying, in various manners, their meager cooking outfits, 
such bedding (?) as they may have, etc., etc., and frequently 
cages of canary birds, parrots, or any kind of domestic pets 
that might suit their fancy. Each woman tries to keep 
abreast with her man, whatever the weight of her burden, 



THE PROLETARIAT IN THE SADDLE 155 

and if by any chance she should fall behind, at once strikes 
a trot — somewhat peculiar to themselves — which is kept up 
until she is again abreast with the one in the column of the 
soldiery that she tries to never lose sight of. The ranks of 
these "soldaderas" are. made up from 12 to 13 year old girls 
to old and apparently seasoned women — but a sort of medium 
between these extreme.; compose the larger number. 

I have seen quite a number of women soldiers marching 
with, and dressed as, the masculine soldiers. On the plaza at 
present these soldier women are quite an attraction — always 
seem to be in good humor, and to be very popular with the 
men soldiers and officers. Sometimes these female soldiers 
are in officer's uniform, usually of inferior grade; yet I did 
know a femade Colonel, from Matzatclan, who, with her — all 
male — staff, sojourned two weeks at the Fenix Hotel in this 
city. She was pretty and very popular with all the army 
officers. I dubbed her the "J^ana de Arco," (Joan of Arc,) of 
Mexico, and offered to give her a write-up if she would 
furnish me with notes and photographs, which she promised 
to do as soon as she returned home. But someone else re- 
ported and made a mess of the case in one of the American 
periodicals soon after. 

In my letter dated June 17, I told of the sacking of 
Ameca. The three hundred troops under Col. Gayou were 
strictly infantry when they left Guadalajara, but returned 
about a week ago, converted into a body of cavalry. A friend 
remarked that when these soldiers left Guadalajara, about 
the first of the month, they were barefooted, or only wore 
guaraches. but that they all returned well "shoed !" One 
Captain brought back, as his own property, five head of good 
horses and an abundance of other loot. He offered to sell 
me one or two horses very cheap, or an automobile, if I 
wanted one ! 

Recruiting goes on with more success than ever. There 



156 THE PROLETARIAT IN THE SADDLE 

are several recruiting stations in the city, and every morning 
and afternoon, in front of the Fenix Hotel, the new recruits 
are lined up to receive their first "haberas," (pay), each 
recruit, on being enlisted, being handed ten pesos, which is 
supposed to "keep" him five days. There does not appear to 
be any physical examination necessary, nor is there any at- 
tention paid to age. As so many people have been thrown 
out of employment — especially during the past few months — 
serving in the ranks of the army is about the only thing that 
offers them visible means of support — hence such abundance 
of materinl. 

Coming from a conference with Acting Governor Ber- 
langa the other day, and after having to pick my way, both 
in going and coming, by stepping over guns, cartridge belts, 
the sprawling legs of soldiers, and sometimes of women and 
children, in the patio of the building, on finally emerging, I 
noticed that the sentries on either side of the entrance door 
had been changed since 1 had gone up stairs ; and although 
I had frequently noticed mere boys among the soldiery, I 
was especially struck with the youthful appearance of these 
two sentries, and halted long enough to question them a lit- 
tle. One said that he was 11, and the other 12 years of age, 
and neither looked a day older. They were both from Guad- 
alajara and had enlisted some three months before. They 
were covered with well filled cartridge belts, and each, with 
pistols to his side and a mauser in hand, suggested real am- 
bulatory military magazines in miniature. 



CIVILIANS HOPING TO BE SAVED 157 

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE 

CARRANZA - DIEGUEZ ADMINISTRATION CON- 
TINUED, WITHOUT BETTERMENT 

July 21st, 1915. 
Present Political Situation Here 

There has not been any material change in the political 
situation here from that outlined in my former recent letters 
on that subject. 

Ever since the publication of President Wilson's pro- 
clamation to the revolutionary chiefs, the political atmosphere 
hereabouts has been surcharged with all kinds of extravagant 
rumors. 

Being practically entirely cut ofif from communication 
with the outside world for more than three months, the rumor 
factories have been running on more than double shift time, 
and to have so multiplied in number, that every one seems to 
have been converted into so many little mills, grinding out 
rumors to their individual liking, or announce as verities 
such as they themselves would be glad to see consummated. 

Especially has this been the case with regard to many 
sensational — but wholly unfounded — reports as to what in- 
formation has been, and is being received, at this Consulate 
from Washington. 

After going through with the usual paroxyisms that Mex- 
icans usually do when in high states of sentimental exaltation 
— as they proceeded to do following the reading of President 
Wilson's proclamation — they have lapsed back into a state of 
"vigilant procrastination" — all the while hoping that Wash- 
ington may find some way to remedy the situation for them! 
It does not seem to occur to these people that it is their duty 
to try to get together and do something themselves for their 
country's good. 



158 CONFISCATION OF ALL CHURCH TROPERTY 

Speculations are rite as to what the Washington Govern- 
ment is going to do; and I have frequently been asked what 
President Wilson meant by "soon" or "in a short time." I 
have answered that the meaning, as to the length of time in 
such expressions, depended upon the object referred to, as, 
for instance, that in the digging of a Panama Canal, ten years 
would be a relatively short time in which to complete the 
work, while to dig a ditch 2 feet wide by 3 feet deep, across 
a level acre of ground, two weeks might be considered a long 
time for accomplishing the job ; and that — correlarily speak- 
ing — as Mexico was a pretty large country, with a population 
of about 17,000,000 people, I would, with this, leave the an- 
swer to the interrogator to work out for himself. 

Also, many questions as to who, or what faction, would 
finally be recognized; and especially lately, while General 
Obregon seems to be driving General Villa farther and 
farther North — if that fact wouldn't force Washington to 
recognize the Constitutionalistas? I have had to answer that 
President Wilson had never taken me into his confidence — 
hence how could I know ! although, inwardly feeling at the 
same time, that if ever the Constitutionalistas should be rec- 
ognized, that beforehand, "el Jefe en general de las fuerzas 
Constitutionalistas y encargado de los poderes ejecutetiyos," 
and his Sancho Panzas, would have to come down consider- 
ably from their wooden horse. 

July 21st, 1915. 

Confiscating Everything Belonging to the Church, that can 

be Found 

On the 25th day of June, a young gentleman came to 
this Consulate and told me that Padre Aspeitia Palomar 
wished very much to see me, and asked me when and where 
he could do so. Ascertaining that the Padre was keeping 



I 



PADRE ASPEITA PALOMAR'S COMPLAINT 159 

himself well in-doors, to avoid further difficulties with the 
military, I promised to go to his lodgings. 

Knowing Padre Aspeitia Palomar as I did, I felt sure 
that he at least thought he had something important to talk 
over with, or confide to me. 

Ever since my residence here, Padre Palomar has been 
the Vicar General of this Archdiocese. I had also known 
Archbishop Ortiz very well, who died about two years ago, 
but have never met his successor, Archbishop Jimenez, who 
fled from Guadalajara early last year, going first to Havana, 
and then to the United States, carrying with him, it is 
thougt, much of the Churche's valuables in the form of jewel- 
ry, etc. 

I remember that when Secretary Root was here, to have 
seen a wonderfully rich display of jewelry in one of the side- 
rooms of the Cathedral, which had been left to it by religious 
devotees — and from its appearance, principally by women. I 
was told by Padre Ciruela on that occasion, that although the 
display on exhibition was valued at over $2,500,000.00, they 
did not represent the half of such valuables that the Church 
had stored in the vaults of the Cathedral ! 

When the Carrarza forces under General Obregon 
reached Guadalajara, (8th of July, 1914,) Padre Aspeira Palo- 
mar was soon afterwatd, (as was the case with many other 
priests,) arrested and imprisoned, and was kept incarcerated 
about six months. Whether he bought his liberty — as was, 
and is yet, the custom — I am not advised, but would guess 
that he must have paid quite a snug sum. 

Therefore, as Padre Palomar was next in Church author- 
ity to the Archbishop, it would follow that he must have been 
hounded after by the military money hunters to no small 
extent during the past year, and forced to hide, continually. 

When I called, he told me that he wanted me to inform 
Washington of his most recent discomfiture — the confiscation 



160 PADRE ASPEITA PALOMAR'S COMPLAINT 

of something over one and one-half million pesos, in the form 
of promissory notes and mortgages. 

I asked him to whom the securities belonged, and he told 
me that the securities in question were all Church property, 
made payable to different priests, the main part of them being 
in his. Padre Palomar's favor. 

When asked if he thought the securities might be re- 
claimed, he answered "no," adding, "except that those in 
whose favor the securities had been made payable could 
evade being caught and forced to transfer them ! 

When asked if he intended employing some outside per- 
son, such as a lawyer, to try to protect the interests in ques- 
tion, he threw up his hands in emphasis to the absurdity of 
such a thought. 

I finally asked him what he wished I should communi- 
cate to Washington. He answered, "only the bare facts — I 
will send them to you in a few days." In about ten days after 
this interview, the same young man who had first called, 
brought me a paper, on v/hich was written in Spanish, the 
following, translated into English: 

"On the 19th of June, house No , Pedro Moreno 

Street, the same being the residence of Don Miguel Barragan, 
was searched by the Carranza soldiers, who took possession 
of instruments of writing, such as promissory notes and mort- 
gages, which the authorities claimed were compromising 
documents. Senor Barragan was thrown into prison, and 
after three days of "incomunicado," was put at liberty. The 
priests in whose favor these securitnes were drawn, are all in 
hiding, and are being actively hunted by the minions of the 
present Government. A well posted priest thinks that the 
said confiscated securities represented more than one and 
one-half million pesos. They were the property of the 
Church." 



PADRE ASPEITA PALOMAR'S COMPLAINT 161 

The note handed to me was unsigned, and evidently had 
been written in an attemptedly disguised hand. 

And thus matters are progressing — or retrogressing — 
according to ones point of view. 

Churchmen claim persecution in this and similar cases, 
with as much vehemence as if their lives were being jeopard- 
ized. 

As to their justification for such claims — especially when 
the Mexican constitution of 1857 is taken into consideration 
' — it is not, as I construe it, the function of an humble Consu- 
lar officer to decide. 

Padre Aspeitia Palomar, Vicar-General of the Guadala- 
jara Archdiocese, asked me to communicate above facts to 
Washington, and I did so — adding some side-lights by the 
way, even at the risk of prolixity — as fairly and clearly as the 
case would permit. But why he wanted this done, I could 
not guess. What had Wasington to do with such matters? 
Perhaps Padre Palomar did not know how little Washington 
is caring for the interests of its own people down in Mexico 
during these times. 



162 VILLISTAS NOT YET VANQUISHED 



CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO 

CARRANZA - DIEGUEZ ADMINISTRATION CON- 
TINUED—THE READER MAY JUDGE AS TO 
WHETHER THERE HAS BEEN ANY IMPROVE- 
MENT AND OF WHAT IT MAY CONSIST 

July 29th, 1915. 

A Bird's Eye Glimpse of Present Politico-Economic Con- 
ditions 

Although the Carrancistas are in possession of Guadala- 
jara, the rest of the State of Jalisco, except along the railroad 
lines from here to Irapuato and Manzanillo, is occupied by 
the Villistas. Thus the Villistas are everywhere — from with- 
in ten to twenty miles of this city, except as stated. 

Trains from Guadalajara to Manzanillo have been trying 
to run from two to three times a week only, while we have 
not had any regular trains to or from Irapuato for nearly a 
month. 

I should say that about four-fifths of the territory com- 
posing this State is dominated by the Villistas ; and the Car- 
rancistas do not seem to be making any effort to dispossess 
them, or the Villistas to try to take any one place now under 
the control of the Carrancistas. 

From the best information that I can gather, this propor- 
tion holds approximately the same throughout the greater 
part of the Republic. 

There can be no question that the sympathies of the 
civilian element here are almost unanimously in favor of the 
Villistas ; and I am told that this is the case pretty nearly 
everywhere else also. 

The Church element, while not really partisans of either 



A TALK WITH ACTING GOVERNOR BERLANGA 163 

faction, are thoroughly decided that the Villistas are by odds 
the least of the two evils, as far as their troubled and disor- 
ganized affairs are concerned. 

August 30, 1915. 
Something of My Impressions After a Casual Talk with Act- 
ing Governor Berlanga 

I was alone with Governor Berlanga for a short time last 
night, when I took up the subject of the late Washington 
note to the Mexican Officials with him and took occasion to 
tell him that we were all hoping and praying that some solu- 
tion might be found which would restore early peace to these 
people. 

I then referred to the position that most of the officials 
pretended to maintain, with reference to outsiders meddling 
with the internal affairs of Mexico; and incidentally asked 
him if he did not remember what I said to General Dieguez 
when the Consular Corps called on him during the reign of 
terror here, and especially as to what I said as to the utter 
futility on the part of any man or party trying to set up a 
Government in Mexico in such a manner as to cause the 
Washington Government to decline to give them friendly 
recognition. He said he remembered. Then I asked him why, 
in view of such a fact, would any one down here try to form 
a Government that might reasonably be sure of meeting such 
a fate? 

"Now," said I, "you people seem very much wedded to 
the idea of maintaining General Carranza as your leader, and 
as the right person to head a provisional Government ; and it 
also seems that General Carranza is bent towards the same 
end. But suppose this should be done and fail to receive 
friendly recognition from the Washington Government — what 
then? — You could not borrow a dollar in any market of the 
world, which you very well know, and which your arch 



164 A TALK WITH ACTING GOVERNOR BERLANGA 

enemy, General Huerta, found to be the case to his very great 
discomfiture, and with incalculably injurious results to his 
country. 

"Personal ambitions are proper, in their place ; but when 
one's personal ambitions lead him to jeopardize the welfare 
and happiness of a whole nation — and these his own people — 
to satisfy such ambitions, what might be though of the 
patriotism of such an one — the patriotism we hear so much 
talked about in this country?" 

I then recounted to him the case of Samuel J. Tilden — of 
his candidacy for the office of President of the United States 
— and told of his answer to some of his partisans after being 
urged by them to make a fight for the office, to which he 
knew he had been fairly elected^ — urged to do so even after 
the celebrated Electoral Commissions decision commonly 
known as the "Seven to Eight on every count" — (seven Dem- 
ocrats to eight Republicans), and added, "what you Mexicans, 
in my opinion, are most in need of at present, is a modicum 
of Samuel J. Tilden Patriotism." 

Then I suggested that inasmuch as they all must know, 
sooner or later, that they would have to reckon with Wash- 
ington in the matter of establishing a Government, the ad- 
visability of their taking up the subject in both a philosophical 
and patriotic manner at once, and come to some agreement — 
laying aside the satisfying of every ambition except that of 
restoring permanent peace and prosperity to the country — 
even at the sacrifice of the political hopes of any one, two or 
three individuals — putting any one aside who might stand in 
the way of such a consummation. 

But what good could come out of this, unless others 
were similarly reached — and by those duly authorized by the 
Washington Government? 

Perhaps my personal anxiety over seeing this "Mexican 
Question" settled beyond question, and without the sem- 



A TALK WITH ACTING GOVERNOR BERLANGA 165 

blance of armed intervention, has already led me too far in 
trying- to "steer" Washington in the way it should go in this 
matter. 

I made a bad blunder in sending an account of my con- 
versation with Governor Berlanga to the Department of State 
— it was written on the eve of the recognition of Carranza by 
the Washington Government — and I apprehend it did not 
reach its destination until after said "recognition" was an- 
nounced! 

NOTE : — But with the full recognition, and moral sup- 
port, that Washington has given the so-called Carranza Gov- 
ernment — now over four years since — it has proved a rank 
failure, so far. 

On another occasion, (see letter of Sept. 30), when I ex- 
pressed myself as fearful that Sefior Carranza might prove a 
failure on account of not being able to borrow the necessary 
money with which to rehabilitate the country, I was asked 
why I thought that Carranza would not be able to borrow 
money after he should have been recognized by Washington. 

I said plainly that I did not think any shrewd financiers 
would lend money to a Government which had as its chief 
executive a person who could be guilty of issuing such finan- 
cial edicts as Carranza had repeatedly done — that the ink had 
hardly dried on any of his published decrees before the finan- 
ciers of Wall street were aware of it — as well as many other 
edicts which had been published — and that according to my 
Arithmetic, that that class of men were not hunting any such 
long chances on which to risk their capital. 

But the Mexicans all seemed to think that the Carranza 
Government would be enabled to literally swim in money bor- 
rowed from foreign capitalists — once it was recognized by 
Washington ! 

I told them that if that was what they were waiting for, 



166 ARMED ATTACK ON HOUSE OF A BRITISHER 

they had just as well dismiss school and all go back to their 
old jobs! 

They couldn't believe it. 

NOTE: — We wonder if they believe it now? 

And I frequently wonder yet, what Washington thinks 
of its fine piece of work in its recognition of the so-called Car- 
ranza Government ( ?) ! 

I was well convinced at the time — in my own mind, of 
course — that the Washington Administration was adopting a 
very awkward makeshift in trying to extricate itself from 
the results of its stumbling — blundering Mexican policy, and 
I believe it yet — who wouldn't now? 

September 17th, 1915. 
Attack on American Citizen J. E. Barton, and British Subject, 
Edward Fitzpatrick and Family, Wherein Fitzpatrick 
Was Killed, and All Robbed of Everything 

The following account will serve to give you a fair idea 
as to just about how much confidence may be placed in the 
claims of the Carrancistas as to their domination of territory, 
and the protection they are affording the people. 

On the 9th of this month, Doctor George Purnell, mining 
partner of J. E. Barton, came to me with the following tele- 
gram : "Etzatlan, Sept. 8, 1915. Dr. G. E. Purnell, Guadala- 
jara. Mozo here with letter for you from J. E. Barton says : 
"House attacked last Sunday, 5th. Ed. Fitzpatrick killed — 
Barton in desperate situation — no money or clothes — does not 
think he can get away — asks for any possible assistance. Am 
forwarding letter to you. Will you advise American Consul?" 
(Signed) J. H. Howard. 

I went at once to see the Commandante Militar of the 
State, and he informed me that they could not do anything in 
the case at present, as all that section of country where the 
tragedy had taken place was under the control of Villistas — 



EFFORTS TO RESCUE BARTON AND FITZPATRICKS 167 

that there were not over four thousand Carrancista soldiers 
in the entire State, etc., etc. 

The place where the tragedy occurred is about ten hours 
by horseback from Tula. 

I then sent Mr, Howard the following telegram : "Send 
any force that you can get by telephone or otherwise, to bring 
Barton and the Fitzpatrick to safety." 

On the evening of the same day, Mr. Howard answered : 
"Your wire. No forces in this neighborhood. Assistance 
should be from Ameca. Get Government to send instructions 
to Ameca. All I can do is to send money. One of Fitzpat- 
rick's daughters here, for which reason word was sent here. 
Barton is in San Antonio, near Ayutla, 75 miles directly South 
of Ameca." 

Other telegrams and letters were exchanged about this 
case; we omit giving more, — but will come at once to the de- 
noument : 

A Mr. Percy being in Guadalajara at the time, and know- 
ing that a Mr. George McCormick was then with, and a 
friend of General Julian del Real, a Villista, camping near 
Ameca, we asked said Mr. Percy, who was to go to Ameca on 
the 10th, to reach McCormick by messenger, and through him 
have the Villista General, Julian del Real, send a sufficient 
body of his troops to brng Barton and the Fitzpatricks out. 

General Real responded at once ; and yesterday, 16th, Mr. 
Barton arrived at Guadalajara, the Fitzpatricks remaining in 
Ameca., (The Town of Ameca was at the time in the hands of 
the Carrancistas.) 

Mr. Barton told me that General Real's rescue party 
treated them well — that the General himself came to within 
two blocks of the central plaza of Ameca with them, and even 
ofifered to conduct them to their hotel, but that he persuaded 
the General to turn back. 

Mr. Barton also said that the mozos whom Mr. Howard 



168 BARTON AND FITZPATRICKS RESCUED 

sent, arrived with the 300 pesos, and that it was very fortu- 
nate, as it was much needed, and facilitated their escape in 
more ways than one. 

Mr. Barton also declared, that the chief of the attacking 
party had a Carrancista commission, signed by Coronel Elias 
Saldana, Jefe in charge at Ameca. 

We think we were entirely justified in calling on the 
Villistas for help in the above contingency, for the Carran- 
cistas had pretended an inability to do anything. Indeed, I 
felt we were right in adopting any measure — Carranza or no 
Carranza, or any other pretended authority — that promised to 
rescue those people— an American citizen, an English lady 
and her two daughters, aged respectively 16 and 20 years. 



SHIPPING FOOD STUFFS TO THE UNITED STATES 169 



CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE 

CONTINUATION CARRANZA-DIEGUEZ ADMINIS- 
TRATION: INTRODUCING SOME SIDE LIGHTS 

September 17th 1915. 
Shipping Food Stuffs from Here to the United States 

On the 4th of September, I certified to an invoice, and 
on the 15th another, which were for shipments to New York 
of as much as 279,616 pounds of Mexican garbanzos, valued 
here, in U. S. currency, at v$29,761.50 — being 10c per pound — 
or 20c in Mexican money — 59,523.00 pesos ! 

Said invoices were taken out by Guillermo Collignon & 
Co., but I assure you that this firm — or any other firm or in- 
dividual — would not be permitted, for their own account, to 
do such a thing in the face of present food conditions, with- 
out not only the consent and connivance, but a particeps 
criminis partnership on the Part of the State authorities here. 

Taking all in all, to my mind, the shipment of food stuffs 
from here under the present circumstances, is the crowning 
outrage of the many of which I have had knowledge ; and I 
have no doubt whatever but that these shipments will be fol- 
lowed by others — and just as long as anything can be scraped 
together that will sell for gold in the foreign markets — to 
further enrich these so-called champions of the causes of the 
poor; and at a time when these same poor are starving for 
want of these very articles of food, right in sight — in fact 
under the very noses — of their pseudo-champions! 

Just as I had finished the above, a clerk from Guillermo 
Collignon & Co., came to the Consulate to get more forms for 
making out invoices. I asked him if they were going to ship 



170 JOSEPH MULHALL'S STATEMENT 

more garbanzos, and he answered : "Yes ; as soon as we can 
get cars." 

I then expressed surprise at their being permitted to ship 
food stuffs out, unless they might be doing it for Government 
officials. He answered, "Asi lo es Senor." (It is that way, 
Sir) or (that is the way of it, Sir). 

September 24th, 1915. 
Joseph Mulhall's Statement 

I have to say that out of the many similar cases which I 
could relate, of the straightened condition of the poor in out- 
lying districts, I will only trouble you with the following, as 
told to me by American citizen, Joseph Mulhall, this morn- 
ing: 

"Some of my former employees from Amatlan, in the ter- 
ritory of Tepic, just across the dividing line from State of 
Jalisco, came in last night, and said that if I did not give them 
work, they were bound to starve." 

(Mr. Mulhall contemplated building a road to his mine 
to enable him to get in machinery — some already in Guadala- 
jara, and some tied up at El Paso — as soon as conditions 
would permit.) 

"These men told me that the people out there would be 
actually starving now, if it were not for the crop of roasting 
ears in the fields, which the people were pulling to eat, instead 
of leaving it to ripen ; and that this was so much the case that 
there would not be any corn to be gathered at the usual har- 
vest time." 

"They promised that if I would do this, and allow them 
one peso per day that they would do me good and faithful 
work. They said that they would thus be enabled to live, as 
they could send elsewhere for corn and beans." 

"I gave them 800 pesos; and Mrs. Mulhall divided the 
bills into small bulks, and sewed them in the clothing of the 



1 



JOSEPH MULHALL'S STATEMENT 171 

peons in a manner that if held up on their way back, the 
money would scarcely be found. 

"I also bought tools for twenty-five laborers, and after 
they get the work well under way, I will increase the number 
of workmen to fifty. 

"I have known these men a long time, and am sure they 
will keep their promise faithfully — and then I need the road. 

"I shall not go back to the mine myself until it is safer, 
but will keep these men at work by some of them coming 
from time to time for more money." 

Then Mr. Mulhall related this: 

"Don Rosalio Ruiz, a prominent merchant of this city, 
whose business is located at the corner of Avanida Colon 
and Prisciliano Sanchez — just across from the postoffice — 
gave a picnic to about a hundred and fifty of his friends — 
among them some of the best people of Guadalajara — two 
Sundays ago, at a hacienda building, about 4 miles S. W. 
of this city. 

"During the forenoon, while the guests were dancing, a 
band of Carrancistas dropped in on them, robbed them of 
jewelry, etc., and held the whole crowd for ransom until 
Senor Ruiz could come in and send back by one of the sol- 
diers 10,000.00 pesos, in bank bills ; under threats of making 
"soldaderas" of the young lady contingent of the merry- 
makers, if these demands were not complied with ! Sefior 
Ruiz complied, of course. 

"About one-half of Seiior Ruiz's guests were females; 
and of these latter, there were some twenty-five or thirty very 
pretty Sefioritas. 

"While waiting for the money messenger to come back, 
the soldiers ate up all the food — and drank all the drinkables 
— that had been brought along for the guests. 

"A pathetic incident occurred in the meantime — one of 
the five young women whom the soldiers had recently ab- 



172 NAKEDNESS AMONG POOR— YOUTHFUL SOLDIERS 

ducted from surrounding ranches, stepped up to the chief of 
the band and said : 'Senor Jefe, why do you not let us ugly, 
dark colored girls go back to our homes, and take in our 
stead some of these pretty, white-skinned Sefioritas?' 

"But the robbers kept the dark "rancheras," took the 
money, and allowed the pretty, fair-complexioned Seiioritas 
to go home." 

September 25th, 1915. 

Nakedness Among the Poor in the Country Districts 

Numerous people have described to me lately the plight 
of the poor peons in the country districts, and the following, 
which was related to me by Sefior Javier Quevedo, a reliable 
gentleman, who speaks English well, will illustrate: 

"I was out between San Pedro and Tonela yesterday, to 
look after some properties belonging to an English friend of 
mine. 

"You know that San Pedro is three miles out, reached by 
electric car line, and Tonela is four miles beyond San Pedro. 

"I saw a number of peons working in their crops, some 
wearing only drawers, and many more with not a stitch of 
clothing on their persons, except a breech-clout around their 
loins. 

"I asked them the reason of this nakedness, and they an- 
swered that they were receiving in wages (those who worked 
for hire), and for their vegetables, but little more than when 
'manta' (the name of a Mexican white cotton cloth — very 
much like ordinary domestic — with which these people clothe 
themselves), was 10 centavos per metro; and that now, as 
'manta' was selling for from two to two and one-quarter 
pesos, they had not 'con que comprar' (wherewith to buy)." 

Youthfulness of Some Mexican Soldiers 

September 26th, 1915. 
In my letter dated June 28, under the subject of "The 



NAKEDNESS AMONG POOR— YOUTHFUL SOLDIERS 173 

Proletariat in the Saddle," I took occasion to relate an inci- 
dent touching" the subject of this. 

Since then, I have seen so many mere boys in uniform, 
and armed as soldiers, that I thought it might be worth while 
to relate : 

Last Sunday morning, while passing the Banco de Lon- 
dres building, on San Francisco Street, now used as a sort 
of military commissary, I was impressed with the youthful 
appearance of the guard at the door. I ventured to ask him 
his age, when he very pertly answered, "para que es?" mean- 
ing, literally, "what for?" but in this case was intended more 
to mean, "what business is it of yours?" 

An older soldier came up and asked what was wanted. I 
explained to him that I had asked the young sentry how old 
he was, and that he did not please to tell me. The older guard 
then informed me that the boy was 10 years of age. 

I was on my way to the Cosmopolita Hotel and had not 
gone more than a block farther when I met a Captain, accom- 
panied by a very boyish looking soldier. I addressed the 
Captain, and asked if he would object to telling me how old 
the little fellow was. He answered, very politely, "eight 
years!" I thanked him, and we each went his way. 

Yesterday, while seated in San Francisco Plaza, another 
soldier boy came along and seated himself near me. I asked 
him his age. He answered, "ten years." I then asked him 
the age of the youngest enlisted soldier that he knew of. He 
answered, "one of seven years of age." I told him that I 
would divide five pesos between him and the seven year old 
soldier if they would go with me to have our pictures taken 
together. He said he would, if he could persuade the other 
little fellow to come. 

I thought such might be worth while — preserving a pic- 
ture that would tell its own tale — but they did not come to 
have their pictures taken. 



174 LOCAL PRESS.— rURELY POLITICAL 

September 30, 1915. 
Some Suggestive Items in the Local Press 

"In the Boletin Militar" of the 20th, there were several very- 
amusing articles bearing on the conditions here, among which 
was one strongly censuring the public coachmen of the city 
for using such miserable looking rosenantes ; when the truth 
is that such good coach horses as there were, had been taken 
by the military from the coachmen long since ; and if the 
coachmen should have good horses now, instead of exhibiting 
them before the eyes of the military, they would be very care- 
ful to keep them hid out somewhere — probably for the same 
reason that "a burned child dreads the fire." 

September 30th, 1915. 
Purely Political 

Although this letter may reach you post hoc, I have to 
say that in a conversation with Governor Berlanga last night, 
touching the probable action of the "Powers" as to the recog- 
nition of a Provisional President for Mexico; I spoke in sub- 
stance : 

Suppose, for the sake of argument, that Carranza should 
be recognized — what good would it do? Money would have 
to be borrowed, and that in my opinion, the financial world 
would not lend one dollar to a Government headed by Car- 
ranza, for the reason that, 

General Carranza has already placed himself so far be- 
yond the confidence of financiers, that they would not take 
any risks on him, and that. 

General Carranza could have no one to blame but him- 
self, and that — 

Inasmuch as such would be the most probable result, 
why could not the Constitutionalista leaders — those who had 
stood the brunt of the campaigns — get together and lay such 



ANOTHER TALK WITH GOVERNOR BERLANGA 175 

facts before General Carranza — that it was not so much the 
business of the Washington Government to do so, nor that of 
any other foreign nation, as it was that of the Constitutional- 
ist henchmen themselves. 

I added that it would not necessarily follow that General 
Carranza would lose — but rather, gain — prestige; that he had 
served his purpose — a figure-head for the Constitutionalistas 
— and that now, if the Constitutionalista officers would take 
the matter up directly with their Chief, and he could be made, 
by them, to see and understand that if he would do such a 
thing as stepping aside — especially at this juncture — that in- 
stead of his name going down in history as a failure, it would 
be hailed by the living, and passed on to future generations 
side by side with that of Francisco Madero — that then Gen- 
eral Carranza could remain in Mexico and be petted as much 
as his admirers should like — that then all Mexico, and the 
outside world, would honor him, and exalt his name — that his 
country could even vote him a life Pension, to which foreign 
residents as well as natives would be glad to contribute — 
thus restoring peace at a stroke, as it were, to their lacerated 
patria, and without wounding the sentiments of any person 
or party. 

Alhough Govrnor Berlanga professes to be a great ad- 
mirer of Carranza, he listened attentively, and did not seem 
displeased at my remarks. 

Indeed, I believe that if such a campaign was pushed 
among the Carrancistas, it would soon result in success, and 
leave everybody concerned contented. 

Governor Berlanga understood that I was speaking 
strictly in a private capacity — just as one personal friend 
might to another. 

NOTE: The above letter, somewhat in line with that of 
August 30, was another of my blunders in imparting same to 
the Department — trying to impress Washington with my 



176 BANDITS INTERCHANGE COURTESIES 

puny ideas of Carranzaism — blunders with more good sense 
in them than in anything which Washington has yet dis- 
played in dealing with the "Mexican Question," for it is now 
a matter of history — (after more than four years have elapsed 
since the above was written) — that the Carranza Govern- 
ment has failed entirely in negotiating a loan, and in every- 
thing else that could be commended. 

October 1st, 1915. 
Interchange of Courtesies Between the Carrancistas and the 

Villistas 

Sometime ago — after a body of Carrancistas had raided 
the Magistral mine, about 50 miles in a direct line West of 
Guadalajara — the management of the mine applied to a 
Villista officer not far away, to see if he would not lend his 
aid in trying to recover the stolen property from the Carran- 
cistas, which consisted of a number of horses, mules, saddles 
and bridles, etc. 

The Villista officer wrote a note to the chief of the Car- 
rancista band, asking the return of the stolen property, and 
offering, as an inducement, that if such was done, the Villista 
would, in turn, bind himself to extend similar courtesies to 
the Carrancista, when opportunity offered. 

On the strength of this note alone the Carrancista jefe 
immediately returned to the Magistral mine everything they 
had taken, thus strengthening, by one more example, the say- 
ing that there is such a thing as honor, even among thieves ! 

Inflaming Soldiers Against Americans 

"A Mr. A. F. Cohen, and Mr. Soderbeg, respectively 
Superintendent and assistant, of this division of the Southern 
Pacific Railroad, were out at Orendain on the 28th of Septem- 
ber, and while there, had the pleasure of hearing the jife of 
a military detachment make a speech to his men, wherein he 



A HOTCHPOTCH POLITICAL SITUATION 177 

told them if there should come about armed intervention, the 
first thing they must do, would be to surround the Southern 
Pacific buildings there — to see that not an American escaped 
' — and to burn the buildings to the ground. They were not 
able to give me the name of the officer. 

October 21st, 1915. 
Our Present Hotchpotch Situation, Politically Speaking 

I have to say that since the 9th of this month — the day 
on which the conference of the representatives of the Ameri- 
can Powers met again on the subject of the "Mexican Ques- 
tion" — we have surely been in a great mess. 

By the evening of the 9th, the local authorities here be- 
gan to claim that they had received reliable information of the 
recognition of General Carranza. 

At 12 o'clock on the 10th, (which was Sunday), there was 
begun a perfect din of bell-ringings throughout the city, and 
as usual, when such occurs, the populace began to gather in. 
the Plaza de Armes and streets about the Palace, but not in 
as great numbers as would have been expected in celebration 
of such an event, especially on a Sunday. 

After about a half hour of waiting — the bells in the mean- 
time keeping up a confusion of clangings — Governor Berlanga 
and staff appeared on the front balcony of the Palace, and 
read some purported telegrams, confirmatory of the uncon- 
ditional recognition of General Carranza and the Constitu- 
tionalista party by the A. B. C. Conference. 

There was not much enthusiasm manifested by the 
people, and it was easy to be seen that the protagonists in 
the manifestation were themselves not so sanguine of the 
truth of the matter as they would have liked to be. 

Yet they pretended to hail it as a great triumph, and 
launched a number of heroic remarks on the strength of the 
supposed good news. 



178 A HOTCHPOTCH POLITICAL SITUATION 

The civilian part of the community seemed very much 
disappointed. It was evident that they were not Carranza 
sympathizers. 

Then rumors began to circulate, and I was beset on every 
hand with questions from those wanting to know if I had re- 
ceived any official information on the subject. I could only 
answer in the negative, and studiedly evaded discussing the 
matter with any one. 

Throughout the week following, there was a continuous 
stream of inquirers to the Consulate, composed of people of 
all nationalities. 

They did not seem to be able to reconcile matters in their 
minds when told that not one word as to the actions of the 
A. B. C. Conference had been received at the Consulate. 

Wilder rumors began to percolate, and by Saturday, Sun- 
day and Monday, 16th, 17th and 18th, typewritten posters ap- 
peared on the walls of buildings in the market places, both in 
Guadalajara and suburban villages, some saying that Villa 
had been recognized instead of Carranza— others that Car- 
ranza had been recognized only on condition that he would 
return to the citizens and Church, all properties of which they 
had been robbed — give general amnesty to all and every po- 
litical enemy, including the old Federals — give ample protec- 
tion to both foreigners and natives — call elections for Janu- 
ary, 1916 — with many other strings to it — and closing with 
the assertions that if these conditions were not complied with 
to the letter, an American army of three hundred thousand — 
now on the border!!! — would enter Mexico, and force said 
measures to be carried out. 

And by some kind of hocus-pocus, my name became asso- 
ciated with some of these rumors, in various ways — one al- 
leging that I had signed a statement confirmatory of the non- 
recognition of Carranza — another, that I had received a long 
cypher dispatch from Washington, and after uncoding same, 



A HOTCHPOTCH POLITICAL SITUATION 179 

was posting it up at the Consulate — that Governor Berlanga 
protested at this— that I persisted — was arrested and taken 
to he Penitentiary! 

All these rumors agreed in landing me in the Peniten- 
tiary — and my reported incarceration was accepted by all. 
Early Monday morning, 18th, first Americans, and then peo- 
ple of other natitonalities began coming to the Consulate, all 
seeming surprised to find me at my desk. Some even asked 
me, "when did you get out of the Penitentiary?" — and adding 
"we have just heard of it, and came to learn if we could be 
of any assistance !" 

And when I closed the Consulate at the noon hour and 
went on the street, the populace appeared surprised at seeing 
me walking about at liberty. 

I was somewhat at a loss to know what I should do ; — 
whether I should call on, or write to Governor Berlanga; 
but soon concluded that I should not do anything at all — that 
Governor Berlanga could but know that I would not have had 
to do with any such "canarderies." 

I was glad that the local press of that afternoon did not 
refer to me, or the Consulate, in its treatment of the reports. 
The wild rumors were charged by the press to the influence 
of what it called the "Villista Clerical Party." 

When I met Governor Berlanga faterwards, neither of us 
referred to the wild reports that had been so persistently cir- 
culated, although we talked of the rumored action of the A. 
B. C. Conference — he telling me that he had received a per- 
sonal telegram from General Carranza on that day (20th), 
confirming the report of his recognition by the Washington 
Government; and asked me if I had not rceived advices to the 
same efifect, which I had to answer in the negative. 



180 THE RECOGNITION OF CARRANZA 



CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR 

THE RECOGNITION OF CARRANZA, AND SOME 
OTHER VERY UGLY OCCURRENCES NOT OMIT- 

ABLE 

October 23rd, 1915. 
Recognition of General Carranza 

I received a telegram from the Department of State, 
dated October 19th, informing this Consulate of the recogni- 
tion by the Washington Government of the de facto Govern- 
ment of Mexico, of which General Venustiano Carranza is the 
Chief Executive. 

I at once ordered copies made for all the leading local 
officials, and the different Consulates here ; and went to see 
Governor Berlanga to tell him personally, and offer my con- 
gratulations. Governor Berlanga almost wept for joy. 

Before leaving, I reminded myself of my always having 
heretofore refused to accept — or extend — any formal social 
amenities to either revolutionary faction, explaining that until 
my Government should recognize them that I did not think 
such my proper course — to which each, on reflection, answered 
that "Vd. tiene razon" (you are correct) — so I turned back 
as I was in the act of leaving and invited the Governor to join 
me at lunch the next day, adding that he and I could now play 
together. He seemed delighted to accept. 

We did not get out formal notices until about 3 :30 that 
same afternoon, but long before this hundreds of people came 
to the Consulate; others sent for copies; and the telephone 
too was worked to full capacity. Indeed, I had not finished 
my lunch before newspaper reporters began sending in their 



VILLISTAS' EFFORTS TO RETAKE GUADALAJARA 181 

cards — and as I went to lunch immediately after my visit to 
Governor Berlanga, and had not "broken the news" to any 
one else, I was sure it must have been himself who started 
it in its verbal flight throughout the city. 

Disappointment was visible in the countenances of many; 
and some asked if there were any conditions attached to the 
recognition. I answered that the telegram as given out, was 
all the information that I had received. 

Yet I am persuaded that many who at first felt sorely 
disappointed, now feel more satisfied than if nothing had 
been done. They console themselves by saying, "Well, it is 
at least a beginning, and may lead somehow, even if by a 
devious route, to an earlier restoration of peace." 

It was evident that the Mexican people had been con- 
verted into an army of "peace at any price" proselytes — any- 
thing, Lord! that even remotely promised surcease from the 
sufferings they had been enduring. 

October 28th, 1915. 

Supplement to my letter of Oct. 21st on "Military Move- 
ments 

"Last night there was considerable excitement in the city 
both among the civilians and the military. It had been learned 
that after the Carrancistas had taken Tequila, Magdalena 
and Hostotipaquillo, the Villistas had returned and retaken 
these places, and had driven the Carrancistas back as far as 
Orendain, where the latter camped last night. Orendain is 
the junction point of the Southern Pacific and Mexican Cen- 
tral Railroads, 20 miles out from Guadalajara. 

In some other parts of the State the Villistas are also re- 
ported to be gaining. 

Reinforcements from Michoican are expected hourly, and 



182 VILLISTAS' EFFORTS TO RETAKE GUADALAJARA 

the Carrancistas think they can, with these, be able to keep 
the Villistas from retaking Guadalajara. 

Nevertheless, great uneasiness continues to be felt 
throughout the city. 

Before the recognition of Carranza, a large majority of 
the community would have been glad to have the Villistas 
back; but now, I think they would prefer to see the results 
of the Carranza recognition given at least an experimental 
trial. 

October 30th, 1915. 

Following up my letters of 21st and 28th October — Military 

Situation 

Since my letter of the 28th, there does not seem to be 
any improvement in the situation here. 

The Carrancistas have remained encamped at Orendain 
— or were until yesterday — but retired part of their force to 
La Venta, some 14 miles from Guadalajara. 

Also there are Villista troops in other directions from 
this city, especially at San Cristobal, 15 miles W. N. W. 

I had a talk last evening with an American Captain in 
the Carranza army, and he said that if reinforcements should 
come in during the night, they would have a pretty fight to- 
day, out near La Venta; but if reinforcements did not reach 
here before morning, that he did not think there would be a 
fight — that the Carrancistas would retire. 

It is claimed the Villistas were already twenty-five hun- 
dred strong, and that two thousand reinforcements had al- 
ready passed Hostotipaquillo on their way to join them. 

The Villistas are said to be well armed, and plentifully 
supplied with ammunition, except as to cannon and rapid-fire 
guns. 

There were about eight hundred Carrancista troops at 
Orendain, thoroughly equipped, and I am told they are being 



VILLISTAS' EFFORTS TO RETAKE GUADALAJARA 183 

reinforced by two thousand more, which arrived at Guad- 
alajara during the night. 

At this writing, I am of the opinion that the Villistas 
will be routed, yet the city has been kept in a high state of 
tension during the past few days. Many prophesy that the 
Villitas will retake Guadalajara — but I think the wish is 
father to these predictions. 

In view of the foregoing, I have felt at a loss to know 
what to do in the event the Villistas come in. 

Several conservative Americans have insisted that if the 
Carrancistas should leave, I should go with them. 

I have had prepared for the past forty-eight hours, a code 
message to send to Washington, asking instructions in the 
event of such a contingency, but did not want to do anything 
sensational, and therefore held it over until today — which 
may prove to have been too late. 

If the Villistas should retake Guadalajara, before I shall 
have received an answer to my telegram, it is my present 
determination to remain here. 

I could not get the other Americans out, and I could not 
bear the thought of deserting them. 

I know I would not have any official standing with the 
Villistas since Washington has recognized Carranza — and 
might therefore be in a more critical position than if I had 
never been a Consular officer — but I have served as a sort of 
shepherd to these people so long, and through such trying 
times, that to desert them in the face of this new plight — I 
fear that it would be beyond me — except in obedience to in- 
structions from my superiors. 

I may overestimate my usefulness under such circum- 
stances — without any official standing before the Villistas. 
Nevertheless I cannot entertain any other thought than to 
remain, and do what little I might, as long as permitted. 



184 VILLISTAS' EFFORTS TO RETAKE GUADALAJARA 

October 31st, 1915. 

The Military Situation — Supplementary to Letters dated 
October 21-28 and 30th 

I 

This Sunday morning, is the first time, within the past 
four days, that the strained military situation encompassing 
this community would permit of one's taking a full breath — 
and this may prove to be only a temporary relief. 

It was not known in the city until to-day, that the Villis- 
tas had actually driven the Carrancistas from La Venta — 14 
miles out — and were following the retreat of the latter to 
Guadalajara, when — just in the nick of time — two thousand 
more Carranza troops appeared upon the scene, and drove the 
Villistas back, and beyond, La Venta. 

So at present it seems the city is to be saved, once more, 
from falling again into the hands of the Villistas. 

The time so gained will enable the Carrancistas to bring 
ample reinforcements to overcome any probable number of 
Villistas that might be available. 

It is now 12 M. and before closing this letter, I will add 
anything of interest that I may be able to gather, until an 
opportunity offers for sending it out; and in the meantime, 
will give you an account of an 

Attempted Suppression of My Telegram in Code 

I sent a code dispatch to the telegraph office yesterday 
morning; the messenger soon returned, saying that the tele- 
gram had been refused — unless accompanied by an uncoded 
translation. 

I sent the messenger back immediately, with the request 
that the manager of the office note on the telegram his refusal, 
and sign his name to same. He declined to do this. 

I then sent to Governor Berlanga, by the Consular Sec- 
retary, a letter which said : "I am astonished that the di- 
rector of the Federal Telegraph System here positively re- 



MY TELEGRAMS TO WASHINGTON SUPPRESSED 185 

fuses to transmit a code telegram from this Consulate to the 
Washington Government, unless same be accompanied with 
its translation. 

"I would like very much to learn, from your Excellency, 
as early as may be possible, if this is the kind of treatment 
that I am to expect from the present Government here." — 
(Signed) Will B. Davis, American Vice Consul. 

After sending Secretary Corrothers to the Governor, I 
took the telegram in person, accompanied by Messers Kline 
and Burt, American citizens, and went to see the Director of 
the telegraph office, and in the presence of these witnesses, 
asked him to send the telegram just as it was — in code — or 
write on same his reasons for not doing so. 

He declined to do either, saying he could show me in- 
structions from the Chief of the Federal Telegraph System to 
refuse all telegrams in code unaccompanied by their respec- 
tive translations. 

I answered that I did not care to see a telegram — or any 
number of telegrams — from his chief — that what I was con- 
cerned about was to get a telegram to my own chief — and 
again asked him to either accept my message, or write on 
same his reasons for not doing so ; and he again declined to 
send it, or write his reasons. 

I then called my witnesses' attention to these facts, and 
was about to depart, when he begged me to wait until he could 
call up Mexico and ask his chief about it. 

I answered that I had taken Doctor Kline from his office 
— that Mr. Burt had an appointment due — and as I had taken 
the matter up with Governor Berlanga, sending the letter by 
the Secretary of the Consulate, — I also must return without 
delay — that he could let me know in his own good time, should 
he have anything to communicate after hearing from his chief; 
and with my witnesses, I left. 

In about thirty minutes the manager called me by tele- 



186 VILLISTAS ROUTED BY CARRANCISTAS 

phone, and said if I would send the message to the office 
again, he would transmit it in code. 

The Secretary did not return until an hour after this; 
when he told me that he did not know what passed between 
Governor Berlanga and the manager of the telegraph office, 
but that as soon as Governor Berlanga had read my letter 
he sent for the manager to come to the Palace, which the lat- 
ter did without delay. 

Perhaps Governor Berlanga will answer my letter sooner 
or later, and say something like this : That after inquiring 
about the subject, he found that the telegram in question had 
already been forwarded!! 

As to whether the telegram reached the Department, I 
have not yet learned, but I much apprehend that it may have 
had applied to it — before having gotten safely across the bor- 
der — "la ley fuga." 

This behavior towards sending my code message to the 
Department is evidence of the extreme anxiety on the part 
of the authorities here to keep Washington in ignorance of 
their precarious situation. 

To the best of my recollection, this was the first and 
only time that the Carrancistas attempted to suppress my 
telegrams. 

November 3d. — No changes of importance regarding the 
military situation have occurred since date of this letter, ex- 
cept that the Carrancistas have been driving the Villistas 
back — the neswpapers say into the mountains — which latter 
is not so; at least according to perfectly reliable American 
citizens' testimony, who tell me that the Villistas are yet 
holding Tequila, Magdalena, Quemada, Hostitopaquillo and 
other places. 

Yet every one here now feels that the menace of the 
Villistas is over for the present. 



DISCRIMINATIONS AGAINST MINE INVESTMENTS 187 

November 5th, 1915. 
A Masqued Effort to Discriminate Against Foreign Investors 

in Mines. 

Although I might not be able to maintain, technically, 
the proposition that would naturally be construed from the 
above subject, it is the purpose of this letter to show the 
arbitrary manner in which mining interests are being treated 
by the present Government ; and as how foreigners — prin- 
cipally Americans — are being made the sufferers. I believe 
that about 90%, at least, of all investments in mines in Mex- 
ico is strictly of American origin. 

As a basis of what this letter is intended to set forth, I 
will give an epitome of the mining tax laws : The taxes up 
to a short time ago had been six pesos per pertenencia — 
(about lYz acres). The fiscal year begins July 1st, and taxes 
are payable every four months in advance. If the first tercio 
was not paid before the last of July, 50% is added; and then, 
if not paid before the end of August 100% is superadded; and 
if this is not paid before the end of October, the property is 
forfeited to the Government. Said taxes are payable in the 
circulating medium of the country. 

Now said taxes have been doubled, and must be paid in 
metallic money. 

And this must be done whether one is, or can be put in 
possession of the property or not; or whether the present 
Government is in control of the territory wherein the prop- 
erty may be located, or not. 

Moreover, these conditions arc being maintained not- 
withstanding the fact — which the Government very well 
knows — that for months, on account of conditions brought 
about by the revolutions in this country — completely inter- 
rupting all communication in many cases — compliance with 
the edict has been made impossible. 

Many Americans have not been able to get to, or in pos- 



188 ROBBING EIGHT YEAR OLD GIRL OF PONY 

session of their properties for months, nor obtain money from 
the States to make payments, the latter being due to a want 
of communication. 

Therefore — and for no fault of their own — American in- 
vestors must lose their properties! 

This strikes me as unjust, unfair and extremely arbi- 
trary ; and if anything can be done to stay the operation 
of these confiscatory measures, I feel that it ought to be 
done, and the sooner the better. 

Just as I had finished the foregoing, an experienced 
American mine owner came into the Consulate and said we 
ought to try to do something to get relief — that at least 60% 
of mining interests in the States of Jalisco and Michoican, 
and the Territory of Tepic, had already been forfeited. 

Noveber 6th, 1915. 
The Taking by the Military of a Shetland Pony Belonging 
To an Eight- Year-Old Girl. 

On the 1st of this month, the mozo of a Russian subject 
by the name of Zakrzewski, was halted while passing through 
a central part of the city by a soldier, who took from him a 
Shetland pony, the property of Mr. Z.'s eight-year-old girl. 

The mozo, knowing how fond the family — and especially 
the little Mistress — were of the pony, offered the soldier a 
good-sized mule instead, remarking that the mule was worth 
ten times as much as the pony; but the soldier answered 
that his Captain had ordered him to bring the pony, and that 
he was going to take it. 

This happened on the eighth birthday of the little girl; 
and it was at the time her little friends were gathering in cele- 
bration of same that the mozo arrived and told of the calam- 
ity, which at once converted the gleeful reunion of the little 
tots into a scene of sadness. 

The father went at once to the Commandancia and told 



i 



ROBBING EIGHT YEAR OLD GIRL OF PONY 189 

of the robbery. The Commandante advised him that if Mr. 
Z. could locate the pony, that he, the Commandante, would 
try to have it returned. 

Mr. Z. then went on a search — a la hunting a needle in 
a hay stack — and after two days and nights of fruitless labor 
brought the matter to this Consulate, in the following letter : 

"Guadalajara, Nov. 3, 1915. 

"Will B. Davis, American Consul. Sir — As a Russian 
subject, without Consular representation here, I wish to 
make a reclamation through you for the loss of a small pony 
en the streets of this city day before yesterday. 

"My mozo was leading the pony when he was stopped 
by a soldier, who demanded the pony, saying that he had 
an order from his Captain to take possession. The mozo 
protested, but the soldier threatened to shoot him if he did 
not hand over the pony at once. The mozo offered a mule 
he had instead. The mule was worth ten times as much as 
the pony. The mozo knew it would break the little girl's 
heart to lose her pet pony; but had to give it up because he 
was forced to do so. 

"I am very anxious to get the pony back again, as it is 
the property of my little girl, ad I will thank you very much 
in anticipatin of anything you can do for me in the matter. 
"Very truly yours, 

(Signed) "J. de Zakrzewski." 

I asked Mr. Z. to bring his little girl to the Consulate 
while the Secretary prepared the following, addressed to 
Commandante Gilberto Dalli, and dated 3d November: "I 
am enclosing with this a letter from Mr. Zakrzewski, a Rus- 
sian subject. 

"As the Government of the above mentioned Mr. Z. does 
not have an official representative here, in obedience to in- 



190 ROBBING EIGHT YEAR OLD GIRL OF PONY 

structions from my Government, I hold him under the pro- 
tection of the American Consulate. 

"I therefore beg of you to try to have the pony in ques- 
tion returned to its little owner. 

"It is self evident that said pony could not be of service 
to the military — really of no service for anything except for 
children to play with — and consequently it could not be 
claimed that it had been commandeered on account of mili- 
tary exigencies." 

Arrived at the Commandancia, the little girl presented 
the envelope containing above letters to the Commandante. 

After reading them, he told me about the same that he 
had told Mr. Z. 

I went over the circumstances, enlarging quite fully on 
the birthday scene, etc., when the Commandante somewhat 
sarcastically remarked that he did not think it would become 
an international case. 

I then addressed myself to him quite in earnest, telling 
him — among other things— that while I was sure the case 
would never come up as between the two Governments, that 
if this little girl's pony was not returned to her, it would be- 
come a matter of more than local notoriety — that on hearing 
of the case not only in the United States, but perhaps in 
other countries, it would be received with sentiments of in- 
dignation — that the picture that would impress itself on the 
minds of every one, from young children to grandmothers, 
would be that of a military officer ruthlessly robbing an 
eight-year-old child of its pet pony to give to one of his own 
children — that he need not doubt but it would be known, 
broadcast — and that it was partly the purpose of my visit, 
to call his attention to this sentimental aspect of the case, 
and what it really implied, touching the reputation of the 
present Government ; and that in my opinion, it behooved him 
more to use every effort within his power — cost what it 

i 



ROBBING EIGHT YEAR OLD GIRL OF PONY 191 

.night — to restore to this little girl her pony, than a hundred 
horses wrongfully taken from an adult person — that he knew 
very well when he told Mr. Zakrzewski that if he could lo- 
cate the pony, etc., that his search would prove a failure — 
that in my opinion the pony was not to be found in any bar- 
racks, or out toward the field of battle, but in the patio of 
the private home of some officer; and that he, the Comman- 
dante, was the only person who could, and should, have a 
close search made ; and I earnestly advised him to have it 
done. 

He said that if the pony could not be found, he would 
pay for it. 

I answered that such things could not well be satisfied 
by the payment of money — that even the ignorant mozo had 
offered a mule worth ten times as much intrinsically, to be 
allowed to keep the pony. 

Altogether, I succeeded in getting the Commandante 
pretty well worked up ; and he promised to put all means 
within his power in operation in an effort to find the pony. 

This interview occurred at 12 :30 on the afternoon of the 
4th, and in the "Accion," a local afternoon paper, there was 
prominently displayed on the front page the following no- 
tice, which I translate into English : 

"The persons having in their possession a horse of the 
following description must present themselves to this Com- 
mandancia; if not, they will be punished with all rigor. 
(Meaning they would be shot. — W. B. D.) 

"The horse referred to (and here he gave a description 
of the pony.— W. B. D.). 

"This animal is the property of an American citizen, 
whose Consul demands its return." (Making a mistake in 
the citizenship. — W. B. D.) 

There has been a great deal of speculation over the city 
as to the probabilities of reclaiming the pony. Many thinki 



192 ROBBING EIGHT YEAR OLD GIRL OF PONY 






it will be secretly killed, and buried, instead of being returned 
by the guilty party. 

At any rate, it goes to show how barefacedly such rob- 
beries are being perpetrated in and about the city, and how 
little attention is being paid by the authorities when such is 
done by the military. 

NOTE : November 8. — As the sending of this letter has 
been delayed, I will say that up to the present not a thing 
has been learned about the pony; but yesterday two mules 
were returned by the Military, which they had stolen from 
the Episcopal Missionary farm here — one having been taken 
four, and the other two, weeks ago. 

Thus I am persuaded that although the pony in ques- 
tion may not be recovered, the stirring up that the Military 
has had over it will result in good. 

My course may seem to some not altogether justified; 
but when one has tried as long as I have to teach these people 
the wrong of such acts, they would find that not anything 
short of the most energetic efforts would ever strike in on 
them — and that even this would fail in the majority of cases, 
for want of being backed up by armed force — the only 
kind of "argument" that these people understand, or respect. 

Commandante Dalli overdid the advertising business in 
wording his notice as published in "Accion." 

He meant well; but no Mexican, after having read that 
notice, could have been induced to be seen with that pony — 
they would have looked upon such as being equal to con- 
demning themselves to certain death. Hence it was thought 
that the pony was killed, and buried out of sight. But it 
caused the two mules to be returned to the Episcopal Mis- 
sion ! ! ! 



ATTEMPTED ABDUCTION OF AN AMERICAN GIRL 193 



CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE 

CARRANZAISM CONTINUES CONSISTENTLY CAR- 
RANZAIZING 

November 13th, 1915. 
The Attempted Abduction of an American Girl by a Carran- 
cista General, as Related by Her Own Father. 

An American gentleman, who has just arrived at the 
Consulate, coming directly from Hostotipaquillo, brought me 
the following letter, which will explain itself: 

Hostotipaquillo, November 10th, 1915. 
"To Dr. Will B. Davis, U. S. Consul, Guadalajara, Jalisco, 
Mexico. 

Dear Sir : — On night before last, a detachment of Car- 
ranza soldiers, consisting of between three and four hundred, 
commanded by a General, entered this town, already almost 
abandoned by its former inhabitants. 

They met with no resistance. After traversing several 
streets, they lined up in front of my residence. A detach- 
ment of eight men forced their way into my house, very 
much alarming me and my family with their arms, and 
avowed their intention of abducting my daughter, a young 
woman aged 20 years. 

They demanded 7,000 pesos from me, on pain of being 
shot. When they were told that I did not have any money, 
they shut my daughter up in one of the rooms and then pro- 
ceeded to search the house for money and valuables, which 
they did not find. 

They appropriated my revolver and a little .22 rifle. 
During the time they were engaged in ransacking my house 



194 ATTEMPTED ABDUCTION OF AN AMERICAN GIRL 

and scattering- the contents of my trunks, my daughter sue 
ceeded in escaping from the room where she had been coi 
fined, evading the sentinels in the darkness, and took refu| 
in a neighboring hut. Although a vigorous search was ma( 
for her, she was not found. She is still in concealment, bi 
in imminent danger of being discovered, and abducted. 

These men were all in the uniform of Carrancista^ 
headed by a Carranza officer, who reprimanded the sentim 
for allowing my daughter to escape, and threatened him wit 
the vengeance of the 'General,' under whose orders they wei 
eivdently acting. 

Being helpless, I made no resistance, except to protes 
my American citizenship. 

I fear that another effort will be made to find and carrj 
ofif my daughter, and perhaps murder me. 

These men and officers belong to the command of Gei 
oral Iturbe who, after the battle had at the outskirts of tl 
town, and after having routed the Villistas, came to my housf 
with ten officers of his stalT, at 2 P. M., and ordered my fai 
ily to give them dinner. Notwithstanding the dearth of pre 
visions to be had in the town, we fed them as best we couU 
At that time they assured me that I had nothing to fear, a| 
they would give us ample protection. 

On this assurance, I was perfectly void of fear, and un- 
prepared for such a visitation and outrage as was perpe- 
trated on myself and family that night. 

There were other outrages perpetrated the same night 
on young girls of peaceable Mexican families by this detach- 
ment, acting under the command of their officers, who are 
making use of their troops to thus satisfy their brutal pas- 
sions and lust. 

I communicate this to you, begging that you may use 
your influence in your official position, with the view that 
these guilty officers may be punished, as they deserve to be, 



I 



ATTEMPTED ABDUCTION OF AN AMERICAN GIRL 195 

and in the hope that a perpetration of these outrages here 
may not be repeated." (Signed) Daniel B. Nichols. 

Mr. McCormick, who brought the letter from Hostotipa- 
quillo, told me that among the staff of General Iturbe, who 
ate dinner at Mr. Nichols', were Generals Novoa, Espinosa 
and Amaro ; and that although the name of the particular 
Coronel who was in command of the body of troops who 
were out on abduction tours on the night referred to could 
not be learned, it was well known that he was the officer who 
had recently been in command of the Carranza forces at the 
town of El Labor. 

Also, that it was the general opinion at E[ostotipaquillo 
that the particular officer for whom the Nichols girl's ab- 
duction was attempted, was General Amaro. 

At any rate, it must have been one of the Generals who 
dined at the Nichols house that day, who, becoming enam- 
ored of her while she was serving the meal, and had deter- 
mined to make use of her for the gratification of his animal 
passions, had for this purpose sent the detachment of troops 
to escort her to his quarters that night. 

Mr. Mc.C. said that Mr. Nichols did not mention his 
American citizenship until after he had been threatened with 
death because of the escape of his daughter, and that the an- 
nouncement threw consternation into the ranks of the soldiery 
who, becoming apprehensive at hearing this, immediately re- 
tired from the premises. 

Mr. McC. further stated that he had learned through 
several channels that the perpetrators of the Nichols outrage 
were very fearful that their conduct would be reported, and 
to prevent this as long as possible, had kept both the tele- 
phone and telegraph wires to Hostotipaquillo cut ever since. 
He said that they did not fear the report reaching the Mex- 
ican authorities here, so much as they were that the Ameri- 
can Consul might hear of their acts. 



196 SELF-EXPLANATORY LETTERS TO GOVERNOR 

I have already reported the case to Governor Berlanga, 
asking that a thorough investigation be made at the earliest 
moment, and that the guilty parties — whoever they are — be 
duly punished. 

But "reporting" such cases, and "begging" that due 
punishment be administered, was about all that could be 
done. In answer to my letter to Governor Berlanga, I expect 
to receive "assurances" of a "determination" to "correct" such 
matters, or a nicely worded letter with the impress of 
"evasiveness" in every line and "between lines." And that 
will be the last that will be heard, or done about it. 

November 30th, 1915. 
Letters to Acting Governor Berlanga, Which Explain Them- 
selves 

I am herewith transmitting translated copies of two 
recent letters sent from this Consulate to Governor Berlanga, 
as follows: 

"Governor Berlanga: — On the 9th of September, 1915, a 
band of men commanded by one Rosalio Fernandez, who 
called himself a Carrancista, and held a commission signed 
by Coronel Elias Saldana, attacked in the town of San An- 
tonio, near Ayutlo, in this State, the house of a British sub- 
ject named Fitzpatrick and killed Mr. Fitzpatrick. In the 
same house there were at the time the wife and two daugh- 
ters of Mr. Fitzpatrick and an American citizen najmed 
Barton. 

"In those days I went to the Commandancia Militar of 
the State, where Major Gilberto Dalli informed me that as 
the territory where the crime had been committed was under 
the control of the Villistas, his Government could not do 
Tinything on the case then. Consequently, all I could do was 
to report the case to Washington. 

"Knowing that your Government was not then in con- 



HOW WORK OF PACIFICATION IS CONDUCTED 197 

trol of the territory in question, I delayed writing to you 
until now, and after I have been reliably informed that you 
are in control there. 

"I expect that your Excellenc}^ will act in justice so soon 
as circumstances will permit." Also, 

"Governor Berlanga : — It has been reported to this. Con- 
sulate, that a man by the name of Antonio Castellon, known 
by the alias of "El Polio," who assassinated an American 
citizen by the name of Parmenter a few months ago near El 
Favor mine and stole $15,000.00 worth of precipitates — 
property of El Favor Mining Company — while said precipi- 
tates were being transported towards La Quemada, has re- 
cently been commissioned as an officer in the Constitutional- 
ista Army. 

"I ask from your Excellency to please find out as to the 
truth of this rumor, and in case it proves to be well founded, 
I expect that such a thief, and assassin, of the property and 
lives of American citizens shall be brought to justice. 

"(Signed), WILL B. DAVIS, American Vice Consul." 

December 4th, 1915. 
How the Work of Pacification is being Effected Hereabouts 

While General Iturbe, who is now chief in command 
for the 'Pacification of the States of Jalisco and Colima,' is 
succeeding, apparently, in ridding these sections of Villistas, 
para pasu with his military successes, are the unbridled liber- 
tinisms of his men and officials manifesting themselves. 

There is not a product of these sections which can be 
turned into cash — except such as may be in the hands of 
foreigners — that they are not, in the name of the Government, 
possessing themselves of. 

Not satisfied with first taking over everything for 
which there might be found ready sales in foreign markets, as 
the pecan crop, garbanzos, hides, etc., such as were hereto- 



198 AMERICAN CITIZEN TELLS OF HIS EXPERIENCES 

fore shipped out of the country, they are now — and have been 
for some time — taking possession of all the remaining beef 
cattle, tequila, corn, beans and other commodities to send to 
and sell at Mexico City and other domestic markets. 

Where they pay at all for anything they may take, they 
pay according to their own whims in the so-called 'bilim- 
bique' money of the country, and no one dares to say 'nay !' 

There is no question but a systematic process of fleecing 
the rich and well-to-do of every movable thing that they have 
is being carried out. Even the comparatively poor are not 
being spared — and as to the veritabl}^ poor, they are, inci- 
dentally, being made the greatest sufferers. 

While on former occasions representatives of both sides 
of the contending factions had admitted to me that it was 
their intention to take from the rich everything they had, it 
might have been thought that after a party had been rec- 
ognized by other Governments, it would modify such a pro- 
gramme; but such is not the case. 

If the pacification methods that are being used in this 
district are being generally practiced over the Republic, the 
consequences can easil}- be foreseen." 

December 9th, 1915. 

Personal Experiences of an American Citizen in the States of 
Jalisco and Michoacan, and the Territory of Tepic 

I am just in receipt of the following letter, which I quote 
in full, as it is an eye-witness account of conditions found in 
the outlying sections of the States and Territories mentioned. 

I will explain that the business followed by the writer 
of the letter has for some time caused him to make trips 
through the sections referred to, and that the author is con- 
sidered a very reliable person and a good judge of the mat- 
ters treated of in the letter : • 



AMERICAN CITIZEN TELLS OF HIS EXPERIENCES 199 

"Guadalajara, December 9th, 1915. 

"Will B. Davis, American Vice Consul, City. Sir:— As 
near as I can remember, I left this city on the second day of 
October last in company with my partner, a Mexican, for the 
State of Michoacan to purchase goods. We had no definite 
program as to exactly what sections we would visit, leaving 
this to the last moment for decision in view of local condi- 
tions. 

"From this city we went to Ocotlan in this state; from 
thence to La Palma, crossing Lake Chapala at night, and 
from La Palma to Sahuayo, Michoacan, on donkey back, 
staying there for two days, getting the lay of the land ; finally 
deciding to go on to Los Reyes, State of Michoacan. 

"In making this latter trip — which we did on the backs 
of donkeys— three days were consumed altogether, passing 
from Carrancista lines to territory controlled by the Villistas; 
but we did not meet any outposts of either faction on the 

way. 

"On arriving at Tirguindin we heard that there was a 
Carrancista force there, and we did not dare to go into the 
town, but went around it arriving at Los Reyes on October 
the 9th, late in the evening. Here we could not find lodgings 
in any of the hotels or masones, but finally found a man who 
lived in the suburbs of the town who took us in. 

"Next day we started out hunting something to buy. As 
soon as we had well entered the business section of the town, 
a soldier came up and advised us that the Villa General there 
wanted to see us; and so we went to that officer's head- 
quarters. This general we found to be an ex-shoemaker from 
Guadalajara, one Louis V. Gutierrez, known among his 
people as 'El Chivo Encantado.' As luck would have it, it 
turned out that he was an intimate friend of my partner— so 
we visited with him for about two hours. 

"The result of our confab was, that we were requested, in 



200 AMERICAN CITIZEN TELLS OF HIS EXPERIENCES 

a rather pointed manner, to do business with him ; and he in- 
formed us that he could sell us anything we wanted, and in 
any quantity. Indeed, he expressed himself as being the 
owner of everything we could see with a telescope from the 
highest mountain in the state. 

"There was no help for it, and so we turned over to him 
7,500.00 pesos Villa money — which we wanted to get rid of — 
in exchange for three tons of sugar. He gave us passports 
for ourselves and merchandise. 

"Now I will go back a little and describe as near as I 
can the condition of the country through which we passed on 
this trip. 

"The Guaracha hacienda, near Tinguindin, had been con- 
fiscated by the Carrancistas, but at the time we went through, 
the owner had made some arrangements with the Carrancis- 
tas, and had been put in possession once more. In the mean- 
time, everything on the hacienda had been confiscated — at 
least there had not been anything left in sight, worth bragg- 
mg about. However, there has been considerable corn planted 
on this hacienda, which presented the best appearance of any 
that I have seen this year in the course of my travels ; and if 
this hacienda is left alone, there may be a little corn harvested 
from it. Their crop of sugar cane also looked promising. 

"The next large hacienda through which we passed was 
the Santa Clara. This property had been completely looted 
— absolutely nothing lefl. However, there has been planted 
on it a little sugar cane, and that is about all. This hacienda 
has been cleaned out by all factions, including the Zapatistas 
under General Figuroa. 

"On all the trip — after leaving the town of Ocotlan — we 
had great difficulty in getting anything to eat; the country 
has been skinned ; some days we could get only one meal of 
tortillas and beans. The peon class is completely up against 
it — with very little to eat, and less to cover themselves with. 



AMERICAN CITIZEN TELLS OF HIS EXPERIENCES 201 

The latest type in men's wear through this section of the 
country I found to be a gunny-sack with holes cut for neck 
and arms ; and as far as pants were concerned, they resembled 
more a gee string than anything else. 

"On receiving our Villa money, General Gutierrez pre- 
sented us with an order on the San Sebastian hacienda for 
the sugar. This hacienda is a big sugar proposition, with 
some rice. First, it was confiscated by General Figuroa of 
the Zapatistas. He took off everything that he could sell or 
otherwise get away with. Then came the Villistas, and they 
took command of the situation with the result that there was 
quite a lot of friction between the Villistas and Zapatistas 
over the "ownership" of the goods belonging to the property. 

"Well, we presented our order and received the sugar 
from the Villista forces in charge, and started back to Los 
Reyes with our pack train. On reaching this point we were 
confronted with an ordei given by General Cintora, a Villista, 
in command of this section of the country, which deprived us 
of our mule train and left us with our sugar dumped and with 
no possibility of hiring another pack train, as every mule and 
1 donkey in this section had already been pressed into service 
by the Villistas. 

"My partner immediately started out to hunt another 
pack train to move our stuff, while I remained to take care 
of it. 

"The Villistas treated me fine, even offering me money 
if I should be in need of it, for expenses; and General Cintora 
offered to put me up in his hotel, which favor I declined with 
thanks. 

"About the third day, small parties of Villistas began 
leaving the town, after having sent all the goods and mer- 
chandise they could pack down further into the hot country ; 
and as General Gutierrez intimated, they needed it to get 
arms and ammunition with. 



202 AMERICAN CITIZEN TELLS OF HIS EXPERIENCES 

"Then — when least expected — at 2 :30 P. M., there began 
an attack on the town by the Carrancistas. 

"The sentry, posted in a church belfry, was taking his 
siesta while on duty and the Carrancistas had gotten within 
half a block of the Cintora headquarters before being dis- 
covered, and began shooting into the hotel. General Cintora 
happened to be out, looking over some stock, but the rest of 
his staff were laying around the place. But they managed to 
get over a back fence and into the cane fields while a captain 
was at the barracks. This captain gathered a handful of 
men and opened fire around the corners until the rest of their 
men had gotten out of town in safety and with their horses, 
arms and ammunition, then abandoning the town to the Ca- 
rrancistas under Colonels Zapeda and Figuero. 

"These parties remained in town until about 10 A. M. 
the next day, when they too left very suddenly. 

"At 12 P. M. another section of the same party under 
Colonel Bonifacio Moreno came in. 

"Trouble started immediately for everybody. Parties 
were sent out, and they commenced looting the town. Every- 
thing in sight was taken. 

"Some of the principal merchants were thrown in jail, 
among them were two Spaniards; and I was sent for, by a 
captain and 12 armed soldiers, and escorted to headquarters. 
I thought I was in for a jail sentence also; but I put up a big 
line of talk and escaped with a good round of 'cusing out'; 
yet I was forced to give up all my sugar, 156.00 pesos Ca- 
rranza money, and all my clothes except what I had on my 
back. 

"Moreno threatened to shoot the merchants, but they 
arranged with him by giving up all their goods and escaped 
with their lives in that way. The Spaniards, besides giving 
up their goods and spending three days in jail, had each to 
pay over a money consideration besides. 



AMERICAN CITIZEN TELLS OF HIS EXPERIENCES 203 

"All of these people — as well myself — were accused of 
being Villa spies, and working with the Villa forces in this 
country. This — we all understood — was only a pretext for 
looting from us all we had. 

"After they had collected all the goods they could in the 
city, they started in rounding up all the stock and pack ani- 
mals they could find, and everything else, incidentally taking 
all the sugar and rice which I had left on the San Sebastian 
hacienda. They so broke up the machinery of the sugar mill 
that no grindings of this year's crops can be done. This was 
on October 15th and 16th. 

"I was forced to remain in this town about three weeks, 
until things cleared up a bit, as the Carrancistas were robbing 
and looting on all the roads between Los Reyes and La 
Palma. 

"During this time, all the priests were in hiding; and 
there was a reign of terror. 

"There were three so-called battles right in the town 
during this time — sometimes the attacks being made by the 
Villistas, and sometimes by the Zapatistas — but they were 
all pretty warm. In all these attacks there were three men 
killed. 

As before stated, my partner had left to hunt up other 
pack animals. He had reached Sahuayo without being able 
to find any; and while he was at that place, a crowd of Ca- 
rrancistas took it ; and hearing of his presence in the town, 
sent an officer to arrest him. 

"My partner put up a blufif to the effect that there did 
not exist a petty officer who could arrest him alone. (He had 
just been informed that he had been denocnced as a Villa 
spy.) The bluff worked; and while the officer had gone back 
for help, seeing what he was up against, my partner went 
over the back wall into a field where — as luck would have it 
— there was an old broken down mare grazing. By making 



204 AMERICAN CITIZEN TELLS OF HIS EXPERIENCES 

use of his belt for a bridle, he started on this old mare for 
La Palma; and just as he struck the road, ran right into the 
same officer, with three more men, coming- for him. They 
ordered him to stop, but he could not see it that way and 
kept going. They opened fire on him at about ten yards 
distant at first, and later started in pursuit with a body of 
mounted soldiers and chased him all the way to La Palma. 
At La Palma he found some of our Villa friends from Los 
Reyes — a Coronel Louis Arce in command of a small body o 
men. My partner advised this coronel that the Carrancista 
were hot on his trail and counselled him to take to the hill 
at once ; but Arce said that he could hold them. My partne 
saw that he was up against it again and asked for a gun an 
amunition so that he would not have to pass in his checks 
for nothing, and Arce gave them to him. While they were 
talking — which was close to the wharf — a gasoline launch 
from Ocotlan came in, when my partner turned the gun, etc., 
back to the Villistas and got right out on the launch. Five 
minutes later the Carrancistas arrived, found Arce on th 
wharf and shot him right there after he and his men ha 
surrendered. His body vv^as thrown on the back of a donke 
and carried back to Sahuayo, where it was thrown in the' 
principal plaza and left there in the broiling sun for three 
days ! ! 

"The story of my partner I picked up on my way back 
to La Palma from several sources. I came part of the way on 
foot, stopping in the fields over night, and was careful not to 
be too much in evidence. One night I struck a bunch of 
General Gutierrez' men, and they confirmed the report of the 
denouncement made against my partner and the particulars 
as to the killing of Arce. Also in Sahuayo I was told on good 
authority that we had both been denounced there as Villistas, 
and that we were both wanted as spies. 

"On my arrival at Guadalajara I again found my partner, 



AMERICAN CITIZEN TELLS OF HIS EXPERIENCES 205 

and he confirmed the truthfulness of all the details of his 
story as I had picked them up on my way back. 

"All through that country I found things in a very bad 
way. Around Los Reyes they will not have hardly any corn 
to gather, as the soldiers have been pasturing their horses on 
the growing crops, and eating the roasting ears as fast as the 
grain formed. As far as cotton cloth is concerned, there is 
none in that section, and consequently, the poor are absolute- 
ly naked. Such goods as may be found for sale, are priced 
at figures which nobody can afford. 

"As you may remember, I made a trip to Tepic in June 
last. That trip lasted three months; and a great many con- 
clusions which I formed while making it, were confirmed to 
such an extent by my more journey ings, that I am fairly well 
satisfied on a number of points. 

"The trip to Tepic carried me through the extreme 
northern part of the State of Jalisco, and back to this city. 
Through the parts of Tepic and Jalisco, which I have been 
over, there has not been enough corn planted to carry the 
people who live on the spot, and this is the case in Michoacan. 

"In Tepic, I mistrusted that arms and amunition were 
being brought into the Territory in large quantities, in some 
manner, via the coast route. This, I am very positive, is 
being done via the Michoacan coast. And while General 
Gutierrez did not let the cat completely out of the sack in 
his above mentioned conversation with me, the few words 
that he did say, together with what I was able to pick up 
from several pack trains that came in from the hot country, 
I am pretty sure that there were arms and amunition coming 
in in large quantities to the Villista and Zapatista forces from 
somewhere, and the source must be amply stocked. 

"I have also found that the general sentiment among the 
civilian population is very strong in favor of the Villista 
cause. Also, from what I have seen, and heard talked, there 



206 AMERICAN CITIZEN TELLS OF HIS EXPERIENCES 

IS some strong organization back of the Villa movement. 
They are well armed, and have quantities of amunition, both 
in Tepic and Michoacan ; while the State of Jalisco is over- 
ran with Villa soldiers in small parties. While I would not 
care to make a statement as to the number of Villista soldiers 
in the field, by what I have seen, I know that they are strong 
enough to make a fight — a force to be reckoned with in the 
future; and it would not surprise me to yet see them force 
Carranza to the last ditch. 

"In knocking around the way I have for the past year, I 
have been impressed with a number of things, the principal 
one being the difference in the deportment of the contending 
factions towards the civilian public. 

"Everywhere that I have been, I found the Carrancista 
forces were dreaded by all classes alike, as they will loot a 
poor peone out of everything he has as quick as they will 
take what they can get from a rich man. Everybody is the 
same to them, and they v/ill take it all, regardless, and by 
force. 

"The Villistas are well liked by the common people, and 
I have personally seen a peone go hungry, to give his dinner 
to some Villista soldier. 

"My experience with the Zapatistas in and about Mexico 
City has been, that they will beg a nickle with which to buy 
something to eat, but not take it by force. 

"All factions are stealing mules and horses, and killing 
all kinds of beef cattle that they can get hold of; and in some 
parts of the country that I have visited, this is getting to be 
a serious question. 

"When it comes tc wanton destruction, none of them 
compare with the Carrancistas." 

(The name of the author of the foregoing letter is not 
given, for obvious reasons. His home is in Mexico.) 



AMERICANS COMPLAIN OF WANT OF PROTECTION 207 

January 29th, 1916. 

Copy of a Letter from Americans, Complaining of Want of 

Protection 

The following letter explains itself: 

"Dr. Will B. Davis, American Vice Consul, City. Sir :— 
We, the undersigned, in view of the absolute failure to gather 
any hope of relief from local authorities under present con- 
ditions, hereby appeal to you to reach General Carranza— if 
it is possible for you to do so— with the view of inducing him 
to command his Guadalajara subordinates to furnish protec- 
tion to this community from the universal system of robbery 
that it is being subjected to, and which is increasing daily, 
both as to numbers and importance. 

"We know that both yourself and some of the local of- 
ficials are in full accord in desiring relief from this state of 
affairs, and therefore are loth to disturb you with this com- 
plaint, but we feel so entirely helpless in the face of prevailing 
conditions that we do not know what else to do. 

"Not a house of any kind in this city, or its environs, 
seems safe from forcible entry by armed soldiers at any time 
it may suit them to do so. 

"The houses of nearly all the colonial sections are being 
abandoned by their occupants. 

"Out at Colonia Seattle alone, where there are as many 
as fifty beautiful homes, belonging mainly to Americans, all 
have had to be abandoned. 

"And in the very heart of the city, robberies are being 
perpetrated with apparent immunity: 

"We had hoped that with the recent great number of re- 
inforcements of the soldiery here some relief from these rob- 
beries would be afforded, but instead, they are growing more 
numerous. 



208 KIDNAPPING OF AN AMERICAN BY BANDITS 

"(Signed), By a Dozen Good American Citizens (names 
withheld)." 

I have delayed sending above letter, hoping to be able to 
report something more favorable as to the situation it com- 
plains of; but until the promised return of General Dieguez 
to the post of Governor, I fear things will continue as they 
are. 

That these robberies are being perpetrated by the Ca- 
rranza officers and soldiers, there cannot be any doubt, as any 
one else found stealing would be shot and none but the mili- 
tary are permitted to roam about at night. 

And the greater the number of officers and soldiers there 
are in the city, the greater te number of robberies committed. 

February 2nd, 1916. 

The Kidnapping of Two Americans by Mexican Bandits for 

Ransom 

I am herewith sending you a copy of a letter just re- 
ceived at the Consulate, from Dr. Geo. E. Purnell, which ex- 
plains itself: 

"Guadalajara, February 1st, 1916. 

"Dr. W. B. Davis, U. S. Consul, City. Sir:— We beg to 
herewith submit a copy of te principal contents of Mr. J. E. 
barton's letter to us, just received. 

"Mr. Barton is our mine manager in Ameca. and under 
date of January 31st he writes: 'The Magistral Mine was held 
up and cleaned out on the night of the 29th, and the Ameri- 
cans from there got into A^meca last night. 

"'Yesterday morning, (30th), Mr. Pyle asked me to take 
a little ride with him. We left town at 10 in the morning, 
going toward the mine ; we had gotten only a short way from 
town, when robbers held us up. They made us prisoners and 
took us to the mountain, demanding 4,000.00 pesos for our 



LETTER FROM D. M. PYLE, RECENTLY KIDNAPPED 209 

lives. We persuaded them to reduce the ransom to 2500 
pesos. 

" 'They afterwards turned me loose to come back to 
town for the money, telling me that if I did not return by 
5 P. M. they would kill Mr. Pyle. So I got a rush on my- 
self, and got to town and went rustling up everything I could, 
and succeeded in finally getting together 2,500 pesos, and 
got it to them at 5 o'clock, and they let Mr. Pyle come back 
to town. 

"They took everything we had with us — both our 
watches and riding animals. Mr. Pyle got into town at 9 that 
night. 

"It is impossible to do anything more now, and I am not 
going to try to go to the mine near here either, until things 
may clear up. 

"Things are in a bad way here, but I will try to remain 
until run out again, as I do not like to quit, but have gotten 
cold feet for trying to go over the road for a while." 

Copy of a Letter from Mr. D. N. Pyle, Recently Kidnapped 
by Mexican Bandits. 

I am herewith transmitting a copy of a letter from Mr. 
D, M. Pyle, a recently kidnapped Aemrican citizen, explain- 
ing itself; letter dated February 10th. 

"Dr. Will B. Davis, Aemrican Vice Consul, Guadalajara. 
Sir : "Supplementing my letter to you of the 3rd, I have to 
say that last September our Company bought two large haci- 
endas, aggregating 31,000 acres, situated in the vicinity of 
Ameca, 50 miles west of Guadalajara. 

"One of these properties is three miles east of Ameca, 
and the other, 12 miles west. 

"I was appointed superintendent of these two proper- 
ties, and entered at once on the discharge of my duties, mak- 



210 LETTER FROM D. M. PYLE, RECENTLY KIDNAPPED 

ing my headquarters on the Esperanza, the property nearest 
Ameca. 

"Both properties were highly improved, and well equipped 
for carrying on operations of agriculture on a large scale. 

"During the months of October, November and December 
of 1915, there were quartered on the Esperanza hacienda, 300 
soldiers, feeding their horses on the products of the farm — 
pasturing 500 head of beef cattle on our ranges — demanding 
of me the services of two herders, at my expense — dominating 
the corrals and store rooms — requiring me to provide sleeping 
apartments and meals for 6 officers, and in addition I was pre- 
sented with bills each week to pay guards to protect(?) the 
property — and finally when leaving they took fifteen saddle 
horses from the hacienda. 

"On the 26th of November I was held up by some rob- 
bers who demanded of me the sum of 400 pesos — or I could 
take the consequences ! A compromise was made, and they 
went away with 53 pesos, apparently satisfied. 

"I made frequent trips to Jayamitla, the other hacienda, 
and in the road one day I met five well armed men whom I 
thought to be some of the guards I was paying for, but my 
coachman informed me after we had past them that they 
were bandits. On another occasion I met some bandits in 
the evening at the hacienda. They remained over night, but 
in no way molested me. That night, however, I placed a 
secret guard on watch, and provided a way of escape for my- 
self to the hills, in case of an attack. 

"On February 1st, 1916, as my Company was anxious 
to know something about some mining properties located on 
the Esperanza tract, I arranged with Mr. J. E. Barton, a 
mining man, to make a special trip with me on Sunday, 
January 30th. We left Ameca about 10 o'clock in the morn- 
ing, with a mozo (a Mexican servant), who was also some- 
thing of a mining man, and well acquainted with the prop- 



LETTER FROM D. M. PYLE, RECENTLY KIDNAPPED 211 

erty. After having- traveled about six miles from town, we 
turned to the left and crossed the Ameca river at a point 
known as "malpaso" (bad passage), to make a short cut to 
the mining properties. We had proceeded about fifteen min- 
utes by this road when we saw four men suddenly mount 
their horses, from behind a rock fence, and a number of 
others on foot, with their guns trained on us. I called Mr. 
Barton's attention to them and asked him if he thought they 
looked as if they were soldiers. He answered that he 
did not know, but that they looked as if they were. 
I said it did not look good to me — that I was afraid we 
were up against it. I checked my horse, to think up 
a plan for evading- contact with these gentry, when 
Mr. Barton said, "Don't try to go back, for if we should, 
and they be bandits, they will fire on us." In the mean- 
time the four mounted men rushed down upon us. We 
passed the time of day with them, and asked if there were 
any bandits in that section of the country. They answered 
by taking our arms and searching our pockets. We were 
then informed that we were prisoners, and must go with 
them to the mountains, and be held for a ransom of 4,000 
pesos ; very emphatically informing- us at the same time that 
if the money was not in their hands by 5 o'clock that even- 
ing, we would be shot. They were very positive in their de- 
mands, and exacting in manner. No amount of arguing, or 
promising, would change their determination. After half an 
hour, they did agree to release Mr. Barton on the promise 
that he would have 2,500 pesos there by 5 o'clock that even- 
ing; and failing in that, I was to be shot, a sentence which 
appeared to me to be severe, as it was then after 11 o'clock, 
and we were two hours' ride from town. Mr. Barton was 
also informed that if he returned accompanied by soldiers, T 
would pay the penalty with my life. I was then taken some 
miles back into the hills, to a look-out elevation, from where 



212 LETTER FROM D. M. PYLE, RECENTLY KIDNAPPED 

a plain view could be had of all approaching roads. During 
the wait, they passed their time priming their guns, regu- 
lating sights, and replenishing their ammunition belts, which 
made the situation the more distressing to me. The careless- 
ness with which they handled their guns caused me to fear 
that I might be shot accidentally. Many plans of escape 
passed through my mind, but none seemed feasible. I also 
feared in case Mr. Barton returned with the money, they 
would release me, but hold him for another ransom. Also, 
the possibility of the mozo being robbed ; or that he might 
turn robber, and run away with the money. Then I feared 
for the difficulty of Mr. Barton's being able to raise that 
amount of money among the only four Americans then at 
Ameca, whom I knew had no money on hand. Such reflec- 
tions were passing through my head constantly, keeping me 
in a very much troubled state of mind. In the meantime I 
was not ofifered anything to eat or drink. I felt no hunger, 
but was suffering with thirst. 

"Mr. Barton reached town about 1 o'clock, and at once 
told Mrs. Erkenbeck (the doctor himself was out of the city) 
of my being held for ransom in the hills. About the time 
Mr. Barton arrived in town, the news was received about the 
Magistral Mining Company having been robbed, where Mr. 
H. I. Percy and wife, with George McCormick, were made 
the victims. Doctor Erkenbeck, who had been called the 
day before to make a professional visit to the country, was 
overdue to return. These two latter incidents, coupled with 
that of mine, created considerable consternation in the vil- 
lage. 

"The money was raised in a few minutes, through the 
activties of Mrs. Erkenbeck, who borrowed it from Mexican 
merchants by promising repayment as soon as I could re- 
lurn, and the mozo was dispatched to my relief. I was anx- 
iously watching the road, and saw him as he was coming 



LETTER FROM D. M. PYLE, RECENTLY KIDNAPPED 213 

over a hill some miles away. We at once mounted our 
horses and began the descent of the mountain to meet him. 
Our party halted on an open slope to provide against any 
surprise from a rescue party, and awaited his arrival. 

"On reaching us he was asked if he had brought all the 
money. My feelings of relief were unsurpassed when I heard 
him say that he had all the 2,500 pesos. All the party, ex- 
cept two sentinels, proceeded to count the money, which per- 
formance occupied half an hour or more, as they were not 
experts at the business of handling money in such large 
quantities. 

"Finally they finished, and said I could go — that I would 
not be molested on my return — they bid me 'adios,' each of 
them shaking me by the hand. 

"I reached Ameca about 9 o'clock that night, and met 
the good people who had responded so promptly in my 
hours of distress, and whose kindness, needless to say, I 
shall never forget." 

(Signed) D. M. Pyle." 



214 GENERAL CARRANZA VISITS GUADALAJARA 



CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX 

CARRANZAISM UNADULTERATED; AND YET 
MORE CARRANZAISM, WITH A VIM 

February 19th, 1916. 
Visit of General Carranza to Guadalajara. 

General Venustiano Carranza and party arrived at 
Guadalajara on the morning of February 13th, 1916. 

The party consisted of General Carranza and Cabinet, 
Generals Obregon, Dieguez and other military officials and 
staffs, the Governors of several States with their respective 
stales, a number of newspaper reporters, and last — but not 
least — Mr. John R. Silliman, Special Representative of the 
State Department. 

The party left Guadalajara on the morning of the 16th 
for Colima and other points south. 

General Carranza was received here with enthusiasm by 
the local military, State and Mnicipal contingents; and to 
the superficial observer, by the public as well ; but such was 
very far from being actually the case; in fact, his reception 
was a "frost" insofar as the public was concerned. 

General Carranza expected to arrive at Guadalajara on 
the 12th, but by telegraphic request from acting Governor 
Berlanga, the convoy delayed coming in until the 13th, whil- 
ing away the spare time — one day — at Ocotlan, 50 miles out. 

The five multicolored triumphal arches which had been 
erected along San Francisco street ,were very attractive, but 
up to the morning of the 13th, the only other decorations ob- 
servable along the announced line of march were displayed 
only by a few foreign occupants of buildings along the way ; 
not a single house occupied by Mexicans was displaying to 



GENERAL CARRANZA VISITS GUADALAJARA 215 

view even as much as a national flag. 

But at 8:30 A.M. of the 13th, all the Mexicans along 
the chosen line of march became very busy putting up deco- 
rations on the fronts of their buildings; and by 9:30 San 
Francisco street, from the railroad station to the Plaza de 
Armes presented an almost unbroken line of flags and bunt- 
ing, giving the street a gala appearance. 

This happened thus: On the 11th — (When General 
Carranza was expected to arrive on the 12th) — messengers 
were sent to every house in the center of the city, more es- 
pecially to those along the expected line of march, with the 
request that they each put up decorations. 

As no decorations were visible on any of the Mexican 
houses up to the night of the 12th — and General Carranza's 
arrival had been delayed by telegram until the 13th — the 
Mexicans, seemingly, from some occult influence, exercised 
in some manner unknown to outsiders, must have under- 
went, during the night of the 12th, a change of heart that 
caused such a bustling along the announced line of march 
on Sunday morning, 13th — at a time when all business houses 
were usually closed. 

The facts about this reception — as only hinted at in the 
above — were that the Mexicans had not responded to the 
first request to decorate their buildings for the Carranza re- 
ception, and seeing this, acting Governor Berlanga tele- 
graphed to Ocotlan, and had the Carranza convoy detained 
there one day. In the meantime he had the recalcitrant 
Mexican population notified that if any of their houses along 
the selected line of march should not be well decorated for 
the reception of the following day, that they would be se- 
verely punished — and that was why the Mexicans were so 
busy putting up decorations that Sunday morning! They 
very well knew what "severely punished" meant in Mexican 
parlance. 



216 FOREIGNERS PROHIBITED OBTAINING REALTY 

When the Secretary of the Consulate — (a Mexican ex- 
school teacher) — had typewritten the foregoing, he came to 
my desk and expressed himself as much pleased at my truth- 
ful account of the Carranza reception ; informing me at the 
same time that he had typewritten a telegram from Mr. Silli- 
man to the Department which was calculated to mislead as 
to the real truth of the matter. 

But Mr. Silliman did not know — only judged from sur- 
face appearances — or was too much of a partisan of Sefior 
Carranza (as George Corrothers was with Villa) to report 
anything unfavorable about his Mexican chief, if he could 
avoid doing so. 

George Corrothers was too completely mesmerized by 
Villa, and Mr. Silliman was too thoroughly hypnotized by 
Carranza, for either of them to have been fit persons for 
their respective missions. I say this, because it was my firm 
conviction, from ample personal observation. Yet at the 
same time, I entertain toward both of the gentlemen referred 
to, sentiments of high esteem, both for their ability and hon- 
est purposes in life." 

February 21st, 1916. 
Prohibition of Foreigners Obtaining Realty Property in 

Mexico, 

I am herewith enclosing a clipping from "El Demo- 
crata," the leading morning daily here, containing a telegram 
from Colima, present whereabouts of General Carranza, 
dated the 18th of this month, specifically prohibiting all No- 
taries Public from legalizing transfers of realty to foreign- 
ers; the same having been promulgated after a meeting of 
the Carranza Cabinet, held aboard the Presidential train on 
the road from Guadalajara to Colima. 

The main reasons given for such action were to protect 
poor Mexicans from transferring their properties to foreign- 



FOREIGNERS CONFER WITH LOUIS CABRERA 217 

ers ,in exchange for the depreciated currency of the country. 

But such was not the reason advanced by Sefior Cabrera 
at a foreign business men's gathering on the evening of the 
14th (see letter dated March 4, immediately following this). 

When I asked Sefior Cabrera at this meeting if he had 
studied the alien land laws of Texas, he answered that he 
had not; that there was no analogy between Texas and Mex- 
ico; that Texas could pass and enforce any reasonable laws 
to suit herself without foreign interference, while the Car 
ranza Government was always hindered and embarrassed in 
everything it did or did not do by objections and protests 
from Washington. 

March 4th, 1916. 
Semi-Public Conference of Senor Cabrera at Guadalajara. 

Mr. Silliman told me he had telegraphed the Depart- 
ment about the meeting of Sefior Louis Cabrera with the 
representative foreign business men of Guadalajara recently, 
but suggested that I write more fully than he could well 
describe in a telegram, which I endeavored to do. 

Sefior Cabrera, Secretary of Hacienda, met with about 
twenty-five foreign residents of Guadalajara, whom I had 
invited, with the view of getting together a representative 
body of business men who could speak the English language, 
including American, British, French and German nationals, 
and the visiting newspaper men. 

The meeting lasted something over two hours, and was 
of an entirely conversational kind — Sefior Cabrera answer- 
ing, insofar as he could, such questions as were asked him. 

The order of the conversations was first, upon the re- 
cent decree of General Carranza on the business of dealing 
in foreign exchange ; second, on that of prohibiting foreign- 
ers from acquiring realty property in Mexico ; and third, the 
monetary situation in general and particularly with reference 



218 FOREIGNERS CONFER WITH LOUIS CABRERA 



to efforts to bring about a more stable currency, and to ascer 
tain from Seiior C. if the Government had under considera- 
tion plans for the accomplishment of such. 

An epitome of Senor Cabrera's remarks is about as fol- 
lows : 

As to the first, that it had not been the purpose of the 
decree to drive legitimate and established houses which dealt 
in foreign exchange out of business, and if such should be 
the effect of same — as all those present seemed to think it 
would be — the edict would be amended so as not to affect 
them; that the edict had been directed at the so-called "col- 
lotes" (curbstone dealers), who had no fixed places of busi- 
ness — paid no taxes — and who had become especially ob- 
noxious to the Government. 

As to the second, that the edict was not aimed at for- 
eigners — although he could see how it must operate against 
them — but at Mexicans, and especially those who were resid- 
ing abroad, and were trying to protect their respective prop- 
erties by passing titles of same to foreigners, the majority of 
such transactions — at least as the Government construed 
them — were neither more nor less than pretended transfers, 
commonly known as "wash sales." My impression was that 
he did not promise — at least soon — any relief from this edict. 

As to the third, he said that he was hopeful — adding 
"remember, I say I am 'hopeful' " — that by or before the end 
of a month's time, to be able to promulgate something that 
will tend to restore the currency of the country to a more 
stable basis. 

By a canvass made after the meeting — when those who 
had attended had had time to reflect — I found that a majority 
of the business men entertained impressions something 
after this order: That barring an apparently deep-rooted 
prejudice against foreigners in general, and Americans in 
particular, the Government was disposed in the main to be 



1 



AUTHOR'S TALK WITH SECRETARY CABRERA 219 

fair; but that the people at the helm of state were woefully 
incapable in themselves, of successfully grappling with such 
intricate and complicated situations ; and the business men 
were apprehensive that there was little hope to see anything 
like order brought out of the present chaos of affairs, in the 
reasonably near future. 

I had several private chats with Sefior Cabrera after 
this, and on one occasion he claimed that there would not 
be any difficulty in maintaining the value of their paper 
money if the public would only show confidence. 

I answered that I thought it was public confidence that 
gave value to the paper money of any Government; and 
then asked him how it was that his Government could expect 
the business public to have confidence while the Government 
did not seem to be trying to do anything to protect the in- 
vestor. 

I put this to Serior Cabrera: Suppose that today, while 
your money is worth twenty-five pesos to one American 
dollar, you should lend me 100,000.00 pesos, at ten per cent 
interest — you know that today your loan would have ex- 
actly the same purchasing power as 4,000.00 American dol- 
lars — and at the end of a year — after your money had de- 
preciated to 60 to 1 — I should pay you the principal and in- 
terest due, i. e., 110,000.00 pesos in your currency — do you 
not see that you would not be getting back as much as one- 
half the value of the principal — (to say nothing of the in- 
terest) — of your loan? — or, that the 110,000.00 pesos wuold 
not have the purchasing power in your own market by one- 
half that the 100,000.00 pesos had on the day you loaned it 
to me? 

Sefior C. rejoined that to compel the payment of con- 
tracts to be made according to their value in foreign money 
on the day of contract, would mix things up so that no one 
could tell "where he was at," or words to that effect. 



220 KIND OF GOVERNMENT RECOGNIZED BY U. S. 

I told him that any one could ascertain in a very few 
minutes what the prevailing price of exchange had been on 
any given day for years passed ; and that to avoid any pos- 
sible confusion — and to eliminate all foreign influence at the 
same time — all contracts could have their value in Mexican 
hidalgos (Mexican gold), expressed on their face. 

He said they had been studying on some such plan, and 
that in a short time he thought they would be able to over- 
come present business embarrassments. 

But they never did anything looking to any such ends — 
the Government went right on forcing the public to accept 
their depreciated — and depreciating — currency until it fell be- 
low the price of the paper on which it was printed, when 
perforce the country had to go on a purely metallic basis. 

It was common during those times for people to pay ofif 
debts which had been contracted during normal times — or 
when exchange was two Mexican pesos to one American 
dollar — in revolutionary money which could be bought at 
from 25-200 Mexican for one American ; and instead of try- 
ing to do something to prevent such injustices, the Govern- 
ment was encouraging every scoundrel in the country who 
would, to take advange of the opportunity to thus discharge 
their obligations — and then pretended to not understand why 
the business public held back from making investments!! 

And this was the banditry Government that Washington 
recognized — and this Sefior Cabrera was credited by the 
Carrancista Government with possessing the "brains" of 
their "Cabinet." 

Pobre Mexico!! 

March 7th, 1916. 
Echoes of General Carranza's Visit to Guadalajara. 

After having listened to what might be termed the 
echoes of General Carranza's visit to Guadalajara, as heard 



ECHOES OF CARRANZA'S VISIT TO GUADALAJARA 221 

ill the comments made by the general public, the most uni- 
versally expressed were about as follows : 

First, that General Carranza seems to have a very de- 
cided leaning to that class of the genius homo who are said 
to never change their mind, and rather pride themselves in 
the possession of this faculty. 

Second, that he has called about himself a Cabinet com- 
posed of comparatively young and inexperienced advisers 
of an ability which, to call mediocre — even from a Mexican 
point of view — would be to indulge in flattery. 

Third, that if the Secretary of Hacienda, Sefior Cabrera, 
who is openly credited by all the other members as possess- 
ing the brains of the Cabinet, really enjoys a monopoly of 
this faculty, then Mexico is indeed in a very bad way of 
being early relieved of her present multifarious embarrass- 
ments. 

Fourth, that the fact that General Carranza is apparently 
only seriously occupied in diverting himself by making pro- 
longed trips over the country, while the so-called "brains" of 
his Cabinet goes off on a four weeks' trip to attend the wed- 
ding festivities of General Obregon, at a time when all the 
economic afifairs of the Republic are in such a deplorable 
condition, is not calculated to engender confidence on the 
part of the general public; more especially when nearly all 
of Carranza's most recent periodical edicts have been seen 
to have the effect of making matters worse, instead of bet- 
tering them. 

Fifth, that while among all classes and nationalities of 
the civilian public there is a great diversity of opinion as to 
where to place the blame for all the calamities that have be- 
fell Mexico during the past few years, many charge it all to 
Washington, upon the principle, I would presume, of the 
Mexican penchant for always wanting to shift the blame of 
their own shortcomings onto the shoulders of others. 



222 CONSULAR CORPS VISITS GENERAL CARRANZA 

I have gathered and compiled the foregoing- in the sense 
of a faithful reporter, without regard to my personal convic- 
tions ; yet I do not hesitate to say that it is my personal be- 
lief that Washington is responsible for the present state of 
Carranzaism in Mexico. 

During the time of General Carranza's stay at Guadala- 
jara — altogether about six weeks — the local Consular Corps 
called on him in a body; and as usual, all insisted that I 
should act as spokesman. 

We were received very courteously by General Carranza, 
who, after the usual amenities, appeared to strike an attitude 
as if to say, well. Gentlemen, I am ready to hear your ex- 
pressions in praise of what I am and what I represent, etc., 
etc. 

But I could not think of much to say. I knew what was 
expected — such as a profuse indulgence in a lot of grandilo- 
quent panegyrics on the accomplishments of his Carranza- 
ship; emphasizing the profound wisdom displayed in his 
every act, the universally recognized nobility of his pur- 
poses — his unequalled feats of patriotism which had been the 
cause of all eyes being focused upon him as the savior and 
the hope of the downtrodden people — their hero and their 
light to call them from their present hopeless state of chaos 
to guide them back to paths of peace and prosperity — and a 
lot more of such stuff — but it was yebond me to do it. 

After expressing our wish for the future peace and pros- 
perity of the Mexican people, we took advantage of the op- 
portunity to say that our visit was purely one of courtesy; 
and that as we felt sure the affairs of State were pressing, we 
would not further impose ourselves on his valuable time, or 
words to that effect, and took our departure. 

Mr. Silliman afterwards told me that "the Old Man," as 
he was pleased to refer to General Carranza, expressed him- 



NEWS OF PERSHING'S EXPEDITION RECEIVED 223 

self as having expected that more would have been said on 
the occasion of our visit. 

Some of the members of the Consular Corps also thought 
my remarks were too brief. 

But what more was there to say? 

March 10th, 1916. 
News of the Pershing Punitive Expedition Reaches Guad- 
alajara. 

Jt was along about this time that we were receiving 
code messages about the Pershing expedition into Mexico, 
which, coupled with frequent interruptions of means of com- 
munication, caused the situation to take on more gloomy 
aspects again — for those who found themselves down in 
Mexico. 

It was also about these times that Mr. James Linn 
Rodgers was sent to supersede Mr. Silliman, with Carranza, 
which will explain why I afterwards had some correspond- 
ence with Mr. R. 

Nevertheless, I kept on preparing reports of the progress 
of affairs to send out whenever I could, as on former similar 
occasions. 

Decree of General Carranza, Prohibiting Merchants From 
Closing Their Houses 

April 3rd, 1916. 

I am hereinbelow giving you my translation of a part of 
a recent edict issued by General Carranza to the Governors 
of States on above subject : 

"It has become known to the office of the Chief Execu- 
tive that in various parts of the Republic — and under the pre- 
text of the low value of our money — some merchants pretend 
to close temporarily their establishments, or suspend oper- 
ations. 

"In respect to this, and for the purpose of avoiding a par- 



224 CARRANZA'S DECREE AGAINST BUSINESS HOUSES 

alyzation of commerce, you will decree measures conducive 
to the end that, 

"All mercantile establishments which close their doors 
to the public temporarily — or suspend operations under any 
pretext — shall remain permanently closed ; that their licenses 
will be withdrawn positively and irrevocably ; such establish- 
ments will be taken possession of by the Government's agents 
at once, their stocks will be inventoried, and offered for pub- 
lic sale. 

"The inventories of the merchandise of such establish- 
ments shall be made, in all cases, in the presence of the mer- 
chant or owner, or of such person as such merchant may de- 
signate. 

"In applying the operations of this edict to foreign mer- 
chants, the inventory should be taken in the presence of the 
Consul of the country of which such merchant may be a citi- 
zen, or of such person as such Consul may designate. 

"The merchandise so inventoried shall be sold to the pub- 
lic, in the same establishment, and under the directions of the 
Presidente Municipal, delivering the net proceeds of same 
to the owner of the merchandise. 

"Also, please have published in your jurisdiction, that 
the Constitutionalist paper money now in circulation will con- 
tinue in circulation until the 31st of July, as legal tender for 
all transactions, and will be received in aboslute manner in 
all payments to Federal and Local Authorities, even when 
(after) the new paper money may be in circulation." 

I have to say in regard to the above decree, that the pro- 
prietor of the American Drug Store here, Mr. H. R. Corn- 
forth, closed his establishment over six months ago, and has 
recently returned to the States. I think at the time of clos- 
ing, he voluntarily renounced his license. 

There may be other closures of houses under the pro- 
tection of this Consulate, and I therefore asked the Depart- 



CARRANZA'S DECREE AGAINST BUSINESS HOUSES 225 

ment of State as to how it wished I should proceed in the 
event an attempt should be made to carry out the provisions 
of this edict against any such, but so far have not heard from 
Washington on the subject. 

The German Drug Store, (probably the largest drug es- 
tablishment in the city,) just opposite the Consulate, on San 
Francisco St., closed its doors about a week ago, on account 
of the following: A customer offered in payment of a pur- 
chase a bill which the proprietor refused to accept. The ag- 
grieved customer reported the matter to the Presidente Mu- 
nicipal, who fined the druggist five hundred pesos for having 
committed the offense. When the druggist offered in pay- 
ment of said fine exactly the kind of paper money which he 
had refused to accept from the said customer, the said Presi- 
dente Municipal did then and there decline to accept such 
money — which so disgusted the druggist that he at once closed 
his place of business ! 

The proprietor of the German Drug Store is a Mexican 
and fearing to fare yet worse from the operations of the 
edict, he is just now reopening his store. 

After writing the above, American citizen, W. B. Arring- 
ton, proprietor of a large Notions Store, came to the Consul- 
ate and said, "A party wanted me to accept 600 pesos in pay- 
ment for some mirrors. The money which he offered was 
such as is being declared counterfeit by the Government's 
agents. I declined to accept such money. He went away but 
returned soon after with some agents of the Presidente Mu- 
nicipal, who informed me that if I continued to refuse the 
money offered me, I would be arrested and fined. I begged 
them to let me consult the American Consul before anything 
further was done." 

I advised Mr. Arrington to return to his store and tell 
those people that I had instructed him not only to continue 
to refuse to accept such money, but to submit to arrest, and 



226 CARRANZA'S DECREE AGAINST BUSINESS HOUSES 

refuse to pay fines for anything growing out of such refusal 
until I could take the matter up with the Washington Gov- 
ernment. 

I also advised him to incidentally remark that if he must 
be imprisoned his store would have to be closed in the mean- 
time, and that such closing would not be of his, but the Gov- 
ernment's act, and that if the Government wanted to try the 
case out with this understanding, his person was at their 
disposal. 

The agents then went away, ostensibly to go back and 
consult the Presidente Municipal. 

The cases cited above will serve as examples of hundreds 
of other similar impositions. 

Such treatement is being dealt out to the public by Gov- 
ernment employees to enable themselves to get rid of spurious 
bills, for among the civilian public — in their dealings one with 
another — no such nefarious practices are being adopted. 

I knew that trouble was ahead on account of this edict, 
and the manner in which the military authorities were behav- 
ing toward the business public. 

The officers and soldiers were systematically working ofif 
all the bills which they had that had been declared bogus by 
the overnment's agents, and were being aided in doing so by 
the Presidente Municipal. 

I made up my mind that the best thing to do was to have 
our part of the fight settled before the general row began. 

So I made a call on Mr. Arrington that evening, the 3rd, 
and laid the matter before him. 

I explained to him that in my opinion it would be but a 
short time then until he in common with every other mer- 
chant would not only be arrested, but robbed — that that was 
clearly the intention of present ofificialdom, and that if he 
would serve as the "goat," and was sure he could carry his 
part through without "getting cold feet," I would make the 



IMPRISONMENT OF AN AMERICAN MERCHANT 227 

fight single handed — that 1 was sure he would not have to 
be in prison but a few days at most — when the whole matter, 
so far as those who were under the protection of the American 
Consulate were concerned, would be settled. 

Mr. Arrington consented, and in accounts which may fol- 
low, I will tell of what happened. 

April 10th, 1916. 
Arrest and Imprisonment of American Citizen W B Arrington 

In my letter dated the 3rd of this month, I foreshadowed 
possible troubles of American citizens, growing out of the 
to-be attempted enforcement of General Carranza's decree, a 
translated copy of which I have sent to you. 

On Tuesday, April 4th, William B. Arrington, an Ameri- 
can citizen, was arrested by order of the Presidente Munici- 
pal, for having refused to accept two counterfeit bills of twen- 
ty pesos each, and on refusing to pay the fine of 500 pesos 
which the Presidente Municipal assessed against him for the 
ofifense, he, Arrington, was sent to the Penitentiary, escorted 
by five Gendarmes. 

On the morning of April 5th, I received the following, in 
a letter from Mr. Arrington, written from the State Peni- 
tentiary : 

"If you think you cannot get me out today, please close 
store at once, putting Consular seal on same." 

I had a copy of this note made in Spanish, and taking it 
with me, went directly to the Presidente Municipal, Senor 
Lous Castellanos. 

Seiior Castellanos wanted to go into the merits of the 
case with me. I told him that I had not come for that, but 
to ascertain what construction the Presidente Municipal would 
put upon my complying with Mr. Arrington's request of me 
to close his place of business. Sefior Castellanos unhesitat- 
ingly, and very emphatically said that if the store was closed 



228 IMPRISONMENT OF AN AMERICAN MERCHANT 

in the face of General Carranza's edict, that it would be re- 
opened at once, and the goods would be sold as the edict di- 
rected should be done in such cases. I reminded him that 
the closing of this place of business would be more an act 
of the local authorities — at least rendered necessary by them, 
as the business could not be conducted without the personal 
supervision of its head, and sole owner, who was then in 
prison by orders of the Presidente Municipal. Nevertheless, 
he insisted that the store would have to be inventoried if 
closed. I then told him I would at once lay the case before 
the Washington Government, and ask for instructions, and I 
accordingly did so. 

Arrington afifirms that the two parties offering him the 
twenty dollar bills, were secret agents of the Presidente Mu- 
nicipal. 

Learning of Arrington's arrest and imprisonment, I wired 
the Department at 6 P. M., April 4th, as follows : "An Am- 
erican citizen in prison for refusing first to accept counter- 
feit money payment merchandise, and then to pay fine for 
such. Advising maintain attitude pending instructions Wash- 
ington. Practices very arbitrary." 

Feeling sure the Department would refer the matter to 
Mr. Rodgers, at Quereterro, where the Carranza Government 
now is, I forwarded to him uncoded copies of my message to 
Washington by mail, immediately after I had telegraphed the 
Department, explaining that I did so, that he might already 
have at hand correctly uncoded copies in the event of need. 

About 6 P. M., on the 6th, I received a telegram from 
Mr. Rodgers, of same date asking further details. 

With this telegram in hand, I went to see Governor 
Dieguez. Governor Dieguez pretended not to have heard of 
the case, and promised me to have the Presidente Municipal 
appar before him the next morning, that he might take the 
matter up with him. 



IMPRISONMENT OF AN AMERICAN MERCHANT 229 

I had delayed bringing the case before Governor Dieguez 
until I could go to him armed with some message from my 
superiors, for 1 was quite sure that he not only knew all about 
the affair from its beginning, but that everything pertaining 
thereto had been done under his instructions, and to have gone 
to him with it before he could be made aware that Washing- 
ton had been advised, would not have been of any more avail 
than my visit to the Presidente Municipal had proved. 

It was my purpose not to go to him or any one else, on 
the merits of the case, until I could do so with at least a show- 
ing that the case had been brought to the notice of the Federal 
Governments. 

After promising me that he would take the matter up with 
the Presidente Municipal on the following morning. Governor 
D. asked me to come to see him again at 5 P. M. the next day, 
7th. I insisted on an earlier hour, which was agreed to. 

On the morning of the 7th, I telegraphed my answer to 
Mr. Rodgers as follows: "Name of prisoner, William B. Ar- 
rington. I am to see the Governor again this afternoon. Ar- 
rington maintains that he will not pay a fine for refusing 
to accept counterfeit money. Arrington has sent me three 
positive requests to close his store while he is in prison. I 
have not closed his store yet. Am trying to avoid further 
complications pending instructions from Washington, or your- 
self. Authorities here know this." 

I called on Governor Dieguez again on the afternoon of 
the 7th, by appointment made the day before when Governor 
D. recounted to me what the Presidente Municipal had said — 
substantially the same that Mr. Arrington had told me — fair- 
ly set forth in my letter to him, Mr. A., as hereinbelow given, 
and he promised to have Mr. A. brought before him the next 
morning, 8th. 

I then wrote to Mr. Arrington as follows : "Governor 
Dieguez told me he would have you brought before him in 



230 IMPRISONMENT OF AN AMERICAN MERCHANT 

the morning. I think everything will come out all right. I 
do not know whether he will put you at liberty then or not. 

"But when you go before General Dieguez, keep yourself 
well in hand, do not allow yourself to get confused or "rat- 
tled" — whatever may come up. 

"I told Governor Dieguez that you maintained that you 
did not refuse to take Constitutionalista money — that you felt 
that you were refusing only such money as the Government's 
own experts were declaring to be counterfeit — or such as 
the Constitutionalistas themselves were refusing to accept as 
Constitutionalista money; that is, while you were at your 
store. 

"As to what took place when you were before the Presi- 
dente Municipal, that you only refused to say anything, as 
you disputed his right to try to "sweat" you, or to make sport 
of you while you were a prisoner. 

"General Dieguez pretended to me that you had asked to 
be sent to prison. I understood that you had been arrested, 
and carried before the Presidente Municipal, and was there- 
fore already a prisoner, and that you perhaps simply meant — 
if you really said anything at all — that before you would do 
what you had been arrested for not doing, you would prefer 
to go to prison. Of course, anybody could understand that. 

"But keep yourself in hand, and prove to Governor 
Dieguez that you want to do what is right, and that if you 
have made mistakes, which is only human, it was not done in 
the spirit of defiance of constituted authorities. You ask for 
simple justice, but above everything else, kep cool, and give 
them a chance to get out of their own mess. 

"As to your having gone to prison of your own wish, if 
they pretend that, or anything like it, then ask that you be put 
at liberty, to resume life again — the same as you were leading 
before you were arrested. 

"I will await the result of your interview with Governor 



IMPRISONMENT OF AN AMERICAN MERCHANT 231 

Dieguez with much concern. I will wait until I hear from that 
before further communicating with Mr. Rodgers." 

As I had made it a point to keep posted on occurrances in 
the Arrington case, and having learned that Governor Dieguez 
had not had Mr. Arrington to see him up to 6:30 P. M., Satur- 
day, 8th, I went to the Palace to learn the reason why. I 
found the Governor just ready to leave his office, and con- 
versing with some of his subordinates. When he saw me in 
the ante-room he called to me to come right in. He pretended 
to have been so occupied during the day that he had not had 
time to have Mr. Arrington before him. I reminded him that 
my Government considered the depriving of its citizens of 
their liberty in too serious a light to be so lightly treated. He 
at once turned to one of his adjutants and ordered him to have 
Mr. Arrington at the Palace at 9 the next (Sunday) morning, 
without fail. I then told him I would wait until then before 
telegraphing further to Mr.. Rodgers. 

But fearing some advantage might be attempted on ac- 
count of a verbal understanding only, I sent the following let- 
ter to Governor Dieguez early Sunday morning, 9th : 

"I have waited until now to learn what resolution your 
Excellency may have taken concerning the case of American 
citizen William B. Arrington, held prisoner in the State Peni- 
tentiary by orders of the Presidente Municipal of this city. 

"In our interview of the day before yesterday, you told 
me you would give orders to the end of having said Arring- 
ton brought before your Excellency yesterday. 

"It is already time that I should inform Mr. James Linn 
Rodgers, Special Representative of the United States Govern- 
ment to Sehor Carranza, of the Arrington case, according to 
instructions from Mr. Rodgers to me." 

Mr. Arrington was put at liberty by Governor Dieguez 
at 10 A. M., Sunday morning, April 9th, after an imprisonment 



232 WHOLESALE ARRESTS OF MERCHANTS 

of five days — dating from Tuesday, April 4th, 1916, without 
fine or other penalty. 

The case might have been gotten through differently, 
or managed better, but I thought I knew with whom I was 
dealing, and conducted it in such manner as I felt would be 
most successful, and at the same time, give these people some- 
thing to think about that might prove of future advantage 
to those under the protection of this Consulate ; not only in 
this, but other contingencies, that were sure to come up, if 
these officials were left to feel that such senseless and unjust 
despotism would be tamely submitted to. 

Under date of April 10th, I wrote to Mr. Rodgers as fol- 
lows : "I am herewith mailing you a copy of my final report 
to the State Department bearing on the William B. Arrington 
case, and of which you already have some knowledge. 

"This case attracted a great deal of attention here, both 
in military and civil circles — especially among the business 
public. 

"There was not any one else here who could, or would, 
have made the fight and perhaps I should not have done so — 
and my conduct may meet with disapproval from the Depart- 
ment, yet left alone to contemplate the situation I felt, and 
until otherwise instructed will continue to feel that some- 
thing should have been done to stem the "continuous per- 
formance" tide of arbitrary acts, which seem to be an obses- 
sion with these defacto officials." 

April 20th, 1916. 

There were, counting all nationalities, over five hundred 
business men arrested and jailed a few days ago by orders of 
Governor Dieguez, for alleged disregard of the provisions of 
the Carranza edict, as translated for you in my letter dated 
April 3rd. 

The most curious thing about these arrests, and which 
the public generally did not seem to be able to understand, 



WHOLESALE ARRESTS OF MERCHANTS 233 

was that among the whole lot — and it was a wholesale lot — 
there was not one American arrested ! 

When questioned as to the "whyforeness" of this, I could 
only answer that I wondered myself why it was. 

I had already fought the matter out over the Arrington 
case, and while I thoroughly sympathized with these five 
hundred or more merchants, I could not interfere in their 
behalf, either directly or indirectly — not so long as all who 
were under the protection of the American Consulate were let 
alone. 

On the day of these wholesale arrests the Palace, and all 
the police stations of the city were filled to overflowing with 
prisoners, and to conduct these prisoners to the Penitentiary 
later a number of street cars had to be requisitioned. 

It was a curious sight — to see the heads of nearly every 
business house in the city under arrest — while the Govern- 
ment's agents wer fleecing them of something over two and 
one-half million pesos ! 



234 FINANCIAL EDICTS AGGRAVATE DISTRUST 



CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN 

WHILE CARRANZAISM CONTINUES UNABATED, WE 
ARE AGAIN ORDERED TO QUIT MEXICO 

More Recent Financial Edicts which Aggravate Distrusts 
Already Entertained 

May 9th, 1916. 

About a week ago, a Carranza edict virtually demonit- 
ized at a stroke, most of the paper money then in circulation, 
and that part of the present money — legal tender up to the 
first of July will also be prohibited from circulation. That 
part which is allowed to circulate until July first, may, in the 
meantime be exchanged for what they will issue under the 
name of "Infalsificable" at the rate of two of the present 
money to one peso of the "Infalsificable." 

One of the effects of the edict was to throw out of circula- 
tion at once all th Obregon and Dieguez money which, on ac- 
count of one of the many former financial edicts requiring 
all other kinds of revolutionary money except the Obregon- 
Dieguez issues to be "resellado," (restamped,) had become 
the favorite paper money here. 

This favoritism for the Obrgon and Dieguez money was 
heightened from the fact that such a large percentage of the 
money which had to be "resellado" was being declared "falso," 
(counterfeit,) by the Government agents. 

Therefore, when the Obregon and Dieguez money was 
suddenly thrown out of circulation by said edict — many, and 
especially the market people and wage earners, were caught 
with hardly any other kind of money in their possession. 
Moreover, nearly all the subsidiary bills used here for small 
change were of these issues. 



FINANCIAL EDICTS AGGRAVATE DISTRUST 235 

Hence thousands of people awoke on Wednesday morn- 
ing, the 3rd of May, and found themslves unable to purchase 
in the markets of the city as much as a day's rations. 

And there was not offered any relief ahead than the prom- 
is by the Government that after the 30th of June, they might 
deposit with the Government's agents, such money as was yet 
permitted to circulate and receive — sometime in the future — 
one "infalsificable' 'peso for every two of the old. 

Thus the Govrnment after repeated promises of consider- 
ing the redemption of all the Constitutionalist money as a 
sacred obligation, turns about and in its next breath repudi- 
ates at least a part of this same money — repudiates the value 
of it all — for there is no more substantial basis for sustaining 
the new currency to be issued than the old; the promise of 
the same Government, which has never yet shown an ability 
to cope with the financial situation ; only succeeding in mak- 
ing bad matters worse in every one of its blind flounderings. 

And then a press which dares not do otherwise, comes to 
the Govrnment's support in most bitter invectives against the 
business public for not demonstrating greater confidence in 
the Government's promises ! 

But the business public cannot view things in that light — 
any more than can the poor market people and wage earners 
who have already so often seen their meager earnings "go up 
in smoke," as it were, with the publication of some new edict 
of "El Jefe en General del Ejercito Constitutionalista y Encar- 
godo de los Poderes Executitivos," that they cannot get any 
grip at all on their confidence in the Government, and failing 
in which they are so often and so savagely ostracised by the 
subsidized press. 

That there have been abuses on the part of the business 
public, there can be no question, but to charge them with be- 
ing the cause of the depreciation in the value of the paper 
money of the country is absurd. Nearly everything that the 



236 A FEW SIDE-LIGHTS ON PRESENT SITUATION 

present de facto Government has done, has resulted in bene- 
fiting the military, to the detriment of the public. 

A civilian could not get his demonitized bills exchanged 
at all, unless he used an officer as a "go between," and paid 
usurious percentages to have it done. This was common 
knowledge. Hence, about ninety-nine per cent of the civilians 
lost out on the "deal." 

If the present Government has ever done a single thing, 
that by any logical process of reasoning could redound to the 
benefit of the people, "the people" have failed to see it, or ap- 
preciate it as such, either in theory or practice ! 

Hence the great want of confidence on the part of the 
public in the present de facto Government." 

April 24th, 1915. 
A Few Side-lights 

On the 17th, at Orendain, the junction of the Southern 
Pacific R. R. with the Mexican Central, about 40 miles out, 
robbers visited the house occupied by Conductor Scott Wal- 
lace and Engineer Charles Mills, employees of the S. P., and 
took everything found in the building. Messrs. Scotts and 
Mills, in the meantime, were hiding in a subterranean den 
tfiey had excavated in anticipation of such visitations, and es- 
caped unhurt. The bandits seemed very much disappointed 
at not finding the Americans, and on leaving said that they 
would return the following night and kill the "Gringos." 
But Wallace and Mills made their way towards Guadalajara 
as soon as day was breaking, and now declare they will not 
go back to their jobs, but that they will return to the States. 

At such towns in the State as Ameca,. Etztlan, Tequilla, 
Cyula, Zapotlan and Autlan, there are maintained bodies of 
soldiers, ostensibly to protect them, and use them as sub-bases 
for eliminating bandits from the surrounding sections, but the 
bandits are never chased far beyond town limits. Result, the 



A FEW SIDE-LIGHTS ON PRESENT SITUATION 237 

bandits live off the people out in country districts, while the 
troops of the de facto Government live off those in towns. 
When any of them see anything they want, they take it, and 
any one who might have the boldness to object would receive 
the summary treatment as that given a Mexican ranchman 
at the hands of a Carranza Lieutenant in Ameca a few days 
since, which was related to me by an eye-witness (an Ameri- 
can,) of the incident, as follows : 

Lieutenant : — "Lend me your horse. Mister." 

Ranchman : — "I need it myself." 

Pum ! pum ! and the ranchman fell to the pavement, dead, 
when the Lieutnant took the horse, saying, "I guess you don't 
need the horse now ! 

I am informed by an American witness that at a cine- 
matograph show last night, in this city, a representation of 
the inauguration of President Wilson was attempted. When 
that part of the film showing Mr. Wilson and Mr. Taft rid- 
ing in a carriage together came on the screen, hissings be- 
came so tumultuous, that the film had to be withdrawn en- 
tirely. 

This straw indicates somewhat as to which way the wind 
is beginning to blow down here. 

Nevertheless, I am doing my utmost in an endeavor to 
create, and maintain, calmness of deportment with every one, 
assuring all that I feel confident that the two Governments 
understand each other, and that as to what has occurred so 
far, however unpleasant the incidents were as well as what 
may transpire in the future will be amicably arranged be- 
tween the representative heads of the two friendly Nations, 
but it is beginning to be up-hill work, and I cannot tell how 
long complete harmony may be maintained hereabouts with 
everybody, if things continue to happen as at Paral, and else- 
where. 

In the meantime, I am endeavoring to properly provide 



238 ORDERED TO LEAVE MEXICO AGAIN 

for the worst conting-encies, in behalf of those for whose in- 
terests and lives I could not but feel at least a quasi-respon- 
sibility, in the event of dire extremity. This means that if] 
the worst should come, we would try to hold everything to- 
gether, and attempt to tide through the possible dangers with 
the hope of bringing all Americans out whole, in the end; 
not wishing it to be inferred, however, that we at all covet 
the role of chief protagonist — or would envy in the least any 
American playing a minor part in a drama that might make 
necessary a resort to heroics. 

We are Ordered to Leave Mexico the Second Time, and 

Gladly Obey 

From the dates of the two foregoing letters, up to and 
including the time of our departure from Mexico, (our second 
departure,) there was very little to report — we were all thence 
concerned mostly about the situation in the northern part 
of the Republic, growing out of the Pershing Expedition, and 
we were expecting to receive instructions at any time to again 
leave the territory of Mexico — and finally the following mes- 
sage came over the wire : 

"Querreterro, Mexico, June 20, 1916. "Strongly advise 
you, together with all Americans, leave at once for West 
coast. Situation very critical. Acknowledge receipt of this 
telegram, advising if Americans are about leaving for the 
UnitedStates." (Signed) James Linn Rodgers, Special Re- 
presentative State Department. 

On the same date there was also received at the Con- 
sulate some private instructions on the subject of our leaving, 
direct from the State Department. 

The following will tell about all there is to say about our 
second exodus from Mexico : 



REFUGEEING FROM MEXICO THE SECOND TIME 239 
Los Angeles, California, July 21, 1916. 
Refugeeing out of Mexico 

On receipt of the Department's telegram dated June 
19th, (received on 20th,) after first telegraphing to all Amer- 
icans in outlying districts, I went to Military Governor, Gen- 
eral Manuel M, Dieguez, and asked transportation facilities 
for all Americans to the port of Manzanillo, as early as pos- 
sible. 

All trains, except military, had been suspended on the 
Manzanillo branch, on account of a scarcity of locomotives in 
particular, and rolling stock in general. On account of this, 
Governor Dieguez insisted that we had better all go via Lar- 
edo, as he thought regular trains were running from Guadala- 
jara to that place. 

I later learned that a complete embargo against Ameri- 
cans traveling on the Mexican roads was being practiced. 
Also, I received a message from the American employees of 
the Cinco Minas mine, telling of their detention (20 in num- 
ber) at Magdalena while en route to Guadalajara in response 
to my telegram. 

I returned to Governor Dieguez and laid these matters 
before him, and asked the meaning of it all. He protested 
ignorance of any such projects against Americans, but after 
personally investigating, and finding that there was truth in 
the report, gave orders for an engine to be dispatched to bring 
the Cinco Minas people in, and for a special train to be made 
up to carry Americans to Manzanillo, as quick as their crip- 
pled facilities would admit of its being done. This was on 
the morning of the 21st of June and the foreigners who were 
being detained by the military authorities at Magdalena were 
brought in during that night, yet it was not until 4 :30 P. M., 
on the 23rd, that the special train for Manzanillo was ready. 
Early on the morning of the 23rd I began advising Ameri- 



240 REFUGEEING FROM MEXICO THE SECOND TIME 

cans to stop coming to the Consulate for further informa- 
tion, but for all of them to get ready at once, and go to the 
railroad station, and board the train as soon as it was made 
up. Many did not believe that Governor Dieguez wOuld 
comply with the promises he had previously made me ; others 
vascillated as to whether to leave, or chance it by remaining 
at Guadalajara, and a few alleged fear at travelling on a spe- 
cial train known to have been made up to carry foreigners 
exclusively. But 76 Americans, and 2 British subjects board- 
ed the train, which departed at 7 P. M., something over 100 
American citizens failing to take advantage of the oppor- 
tunity, some for reasons above mentioned. Only about 20 
of these were Amreican born, the great majority of those re- 
maining consisting of the Mexican wives, and their children 
by American husbands, who had not calculated on leaving un- 
der any circumstances, the same as they had behaved in the 
exodus of 1914, 

The behavior of the thousands of Mexicans who had 
gathered at the railroad station on the occasion of our leaving 
Guadalajara was very friendly, and as our train was depart- 
ing many "good-byes" were heard and waving of hands seen. 
I was impressed that if the multitude gathered about the sta- 
tion had felt that they dared do so, they would have shouted 
''vivan los Gringos," (long live the Americans !) 

The convoy did not meet with any serious difficulties en 
route, the crowds which had gathered at the various stations 
along the way behaved very amicably towards us, and the 
treatment we received from the port ofificials and people of 
Manzanillo was courteous. 

Taken altogether, the deportment of the Mexican people 
towards the Americans on the latter's departure from Mexico 
on this occasion, contrasted wonderfully from the menacing 
demonstrations made against them everywhere, while they 
were trying to get out of Mexico in April, 1914. 



REFUGEEING FROM MEXICO THE SECOND TIME 241 

Nevertheless, soon after beginning our journey from Gua- 
dalajara to Manzanillo, it developed that we would be com- 
pelled to submit to graft from the conductor and engineer of 
cur train, else we would have found ourselves helplessly side- 
tracked at some out-of-the-way place, and perhaps would 
have been bedevilled in other ways, the devising of the means 
for which the brain of the average Mexican is so prolific. 

On arriving at Manzanillo we all went aboard of the U. 
S. Cruiser Albany, where we remained until the 2nd of July, 
when we were transferred to the Pacific Mail Steamship San 
Jose, bound for San Francisco. 

Wishing to give the Americans who had remained at 
Guadalajara yet another opportunity to get out of the coun- 
try, on the 27th of June I telegraphed to Seiior Gaston Supe, 
French Vice Consul at Guadalajara, (with whom I had en- 
trusted the care of American interestr there,) to notify all 
Americans who had remained over, that they could find Am- 
erican Cruisers in the Bay of Manzanillo, if they could man- 
age to reach there,and at the same time I telegraphed to Gov- 
ernor Dieguez, begging him to continue to extend his aid to 
any Americans who might yet want' to leave, by facilitating 
them in reaching Manzanillo. I received an answer to my 
telegram to Sefior Supe, informing me that nearly all, if not 
all, Americans who had been left at Guadalajara would leave 
by special train for Manzanillo on the morning of July 2nd, 
but as our boat left on the night of the 2nd, I could not learn 
who or how many Americans came out on that occasion. 

In conclusion I will say that you may rest assured ot 
one thing: That if I should be ordered back to Mexico be- 
fore in my own judgment it would be proper for me to return, 
I shall not go. In fact, I have been wanting to leave that 
revolution-ridden country for more than a year, but ■.ntil 
Washington had extended friendly recognition to some fac- 
tion down there, I could not very well quit, (for reasons more 



242 AUTHOR CONCLUDES HE HAS ENOUGH OF MEXICO 

clearly set forth in the first chapter of these Chronicle-j, under 
the sub-caption, "How the Author Happened to be in charge 
of the Guadalajara Consulate," etc.,) but now that Mr. Wil 
son has seen fit to recognize the faction headed by General 
Carranza — who never has established, nor ever will b'i able 
to maintain what might be called a Government, I feel that 
I can cease to consider myself as being "all bound 'round 
with a woolen string" to the American Consulate at Guadala- 
jara, Mexico. 



COMMON SLANDERS ABOUT MEXICAN PEOPLE 243 
(Given as a Semi-Appendix) 

CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT 

IN REGARD TO SOME COMMON SLANDERS ABOUT 
THE MEXICAN PEOPLE 

I had not travelled far on my first visit to Mexico, in 
1902, until some one undertook to put me wise, as he ex- 
pressed it, regarding some things about the Mexican people. 

Among other gratuitous pieces of information offered 
was the repetition of a saying which I had heard on former 
occasions. 

It ran about thus : "In Mexico, the flowers have no odor, 
the birds no song, the men no honor, and the women no 
virtue." 

And I have heard the same animadversion on many sub- 
sequent occasions. 

I made the journey early in the month of January, when 
there are not so many flowers to be seen even in Mexico as 
during the Spring and Summer months, nor birds, either. 

I could not speak the language of the country at the time 
referred to, and so perforce I had to wait and watch for de- 
velopments. 

But now, and after fifteen years of life in Mexico, during 
which time I learned the language of the country, and have 
enjoyed pretty free intercourse with the Mexican people, I 
do not hesitate to characterize the above saying as a slander 
of everything which it mentions. 

I do not know of a country where the flowers emit more 
delicious odors, or the m.any beautiful birds make sweeter 
song than they do in Mexico. This much I could find out 
without any knowledge cf the language of the people of the 



244 COMMON SLANDERS ABOUT MEXICAN PEOPLE 

country; and I became early convinced of the untruthfulness 
of at least a part of the saying. 

Also, along with an acquisition of the Spanish language, 
and a sequential mixing^ with the Mexican people, I was not 
very tardy in discovering — at least to my own satisfaction — 
that the whole saying was false, in whole and in part. It 
was only fabricated in the minds of evil thinkers, and uttered 
by the mouths of thoughtless irresponsibles. 

Social virtue is a product of education — education and 
civilization go hand in hand — they are largely synonymous 
terms. 

Those who knew anything about the social (educational) 
status of the negroes of the Southern States during the times 
of slavery, are very well aware that virtue among them was 
of an entirely negligible quality — or nothing at all. 

The social conditions of the Mexican peon before 1850 
were as bad, or worse, than were those of the American 
slaves. 

Was it the fault of the negro slaves in the United States 
that they were not virtuous, or was it the fault of their owners 
and drivers — of those who were responsible for their every 
condition of life? 

Was it the Mexican peons who were to blame for their 
want of virtue, or was it their Spanish task-masters, who, 
having made a conquest of the country and enslaved its in- 
habitants, had kept the Aztec people, from generation to 
generation, in abject penury and helpless ignorance? 

Once the writer heard Virginia Fabriga, the leading 
Mexican tragedienne, in one of her favorite plays say, "Que 
vale la honra a los pobres?" It was rendered exlamatorlly — 
as a climax ; literally translated, "of what value is honor to 
the poor?" but in the sense — connection — in which la Fabriga 
used it at the time, it meant more nearly something like this : 



I 



COMMON SLANDERS ABOUT MEXICAN PEOPLE 245 

If a poor peon girl should live a virtuous life, she would not 
receive any credit for it at the shrine of public opinion. 

Who is to blame for what this was meant to portray — as 
well as for many other social ills that human flesh is heir 
to — not only in Mexico, but elsewhere as well ; very much 
"elsewhere"? 

The fashionable Mexican audience heartily cheered the 
actress on this occasion, and went away highly pleased with 
the performance ; and the day after, continued to treat, and 
to judge, their poor servants with as much harshness as ever! 

And this is about what has been going on down in Mex- 
ico — our next door neighbor — for over three hundred and 
fifty years! Indeed, it was under pretty good headway be- 
fore the landing of our own forefathers at Plymouth Rock! 

And some other things pretty nearly as bad have been 
going on in other directions and climes; entirely too long, as 
to time, and too much, and of too great varieties, in point 
of quantity and kind. 

We wonder what, after the lapse of a few thousand years, 
the then scientists will be saying to their audiences while 
lecturing on recently exhumed specimens of the present day 
social dinusauri? 

While sitting in one of the many beautiful plazas of 
Guadalajara one day, a Mexican hacendado and the writer 
were speaking of the peon element of the country, when, 
among other things that the gentleman said, — I remember 
one, — which in substance, was as follows : "They do not 
deserve gentle treatment — it spoils them ; they are no better 
than brutes — the harsher the treatment they receive the bet- 
ter they work ; they are insusceptible of education — they were 
made to be only hewers of wood and drawers of water." 

When I mentioned to him the greatly transformed con- 
ditions of the negroes of my country now, as compared to 
the times of slavery, and of their proportionate improvement 



246 COMMON SLANDERS ABOUT MEXICAN PEOPLE 

in every way as they were being educated, he remarked that 
that might be the case with the negro race, but that education 
would be of no avail in trying to change the Mexican peon 
into a better or higher something. 

The very contrary is the case — the Mexican Aztec is very 
quick to learn ; the so-called peon is remarkably apt — when 
he has a chance. With the meager school facilities which 
they have enjoyed within the past thirty-five of forty years, 
the peon population has made wonderful progress. 

But they need more substantial aid and moral encourage- 
ment than they have ever yet known ; and until they may 
have had these, and afterwards proved themselves wanting — 
which we do not believe would ever happen — it would be cruel 
to pass harsh judgment upon them. 

Concerning this class of Mexicans, the Author's testi- 
mony would have to be about as follows : that during his 
fifteen years residence among them he has had in his em- 
ploy, both in the Consulate and his private residence, a goodly 
number of servants, men and women ; that barring two cases 
only, all were faithful in the performance of their duties; and 
as far as he knows, not one thing was ever stolen from him 
by any of them. 

Following the Author's return to Guadalajara after hav- 
ing earlier refugeed, in 1914, many Mexican servants and 
employes of those Americans who had so hastily fled from 
Mexico, came to the American Consulate seeking information 
respecting their American "amos" (masters) ; and some of 
them were actually sufl^ering for the necessaries of life. These 
poor, and ignorant, people flocked to the writer on account 
of his official position — they thought that a Consular officer 
was an all-powerful somebody! 

Also, on account of his official position, the writer re- 
ceived letters from many Americans who had remained in the 
States, and who had left their houses, each, with all they 



COMMON SLANDERS ABOUT MEXICAN PEOPLE 247 

respectively contained, in the care of their Mexican servants, 
I was asked by many of these Americans to have their effects 
inventoried, packed and stored. 

In not a single instance was there anything found 
missing from among household goods or merchandise so left, 
according to enumerations of effects furnished me by the 
American proprietors. 

Yet I have repeatedly heard upper-class Mexicans assert 
that to steal, was a normal trait of the peon element — that 
the instinct was in their blood! 

Among other American business concerns left in the 
hands of this class of Mexicans, were those of Louis J. Har- 
rison's tannery and leather goods factory, and the hardware 
house of John H. Kipp; the former was not only conducted 
by his foreman, assisted by other employes, but proved a 
source of financial assistance to Mr. Harrison and family 
during their first year's residence in the States. After finally 
returning to the States m3-self in 1917, I met Mr. Harrison, 
who is now living in Los Angeles, when he spoke in terms 
of highest praise of the manner in which his Mexican em- 
ployes behaved towards htm during his enforced absence from 
Mexico. The hardware business of Mr. John H, Kipp repre- 
sented an investment of 350,000 pesos (equal to $175,000 
American money). Mr. Kipp, some time after his return to 
Guadalajara, told me that he was sure that the affairs of his 
establishment — which had been kept open for business all 
during his four months' absence — had been well conducted; 
that every article which he had noted as missing from his 
stock of hardware, had been accounted for in the form of 
sales made, and that for each of these, he had found cor- 
respondingly, either specie, or American exchange, deposited 
in his safe. 

Mr. Charles B. Corrothers, for a time Clerk of the Con- 
sulate, and who is now living at Guadalajara, could give most 



248 COMMON SLANDERS ABOUT MEXICAN PEOPLE 

interesting accounts, not only of his personal experiences, but 
of those of many others — all and every one of them equally 
to the credit of the peon element of Mexico — to the credit 
of those most looked down upon, and ostracised as a band 
of thieves, by their foi-mer Mexican owners ! 

The reader should bear in mind that in all the above cases 
the peons in question could have appropriated to their own 
uses everything which had been left in their charge by their 
American "amos," nor would they have run any risks of 
after punishments for having done so, which fact they them- 
selves were well aware of. 

As to the middle and upper classes in Mexico — who con- 
stitute only a small minority of the whole population — I 
would say that among the men, I found as large a proportion 
of honor in evidence, as among any other people of my ac- 
quaintance. 

The women of these classes are not only beautiful, and 
as virtuous as any other people, but they make the dearest 
sisters and daughters, devoted wives and mothers, and the 
most fascinating sweethearts. Altogether, they are just about 
what might be expectea to be found among any other edu- 
cated and cultured people 

These middle and uj per classes, however, in Mexico — 
(and we fear that throughout Latin-America such has been 
too much the case) — have never concerned themselves as 
they should have done, in trying to better the conditions of 
the poor peon element of their country. They do not appear 
to have ever seriously considered how awkward it must be to 
try to maintain a Democratic form of Government with an 
illiterate population of eighty-five per cent. 






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